English
speechless
Speechless comes from Middle English specheles, and goes back to Proto-Germanic *sprēkalausaz.
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*sprēkalausazreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150sprǣċlēas
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500specheles
- Englishearliest quotation 1690speechless
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*sprēkalausazreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150sprǣċlēas
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500specheles
- Englishearliest quotation 1690speechless
Earliest quotation: 1690, John Dryden, The State of Innocence: “Immortal Pleaſures round my ſwimming Eyes did dance, And…”
Formed from speech + -less
Proto-Indo-European *spereg- ‘to make a sound’
…
Proto-West Germanic *sprāku ‘speech, language’
Old English sprǣċ ‘speech, language’
Old English spǣċ ‘speech’
Middle English speche ‘speaking, speech’
English speech
Every English word from Proto-Germanic *sprēkalausaz
Today it means
adj Not speaking; not knowing what to say; silent, especially due to surprise, amazement, etc.; wordless.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Germanic *sprēkalausaz / speechless