Etymograph

English

trim

Trim comes from Old English trymman ‘to make firm’, and goes back to Proto-Germanic *trumaz.

  1. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*trumaz‘firm’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*trumjaną‘to make fast’reconstructed
  3. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*trummjanreconstructed
  4. Old Englishc. 450–1150trymman‘to make firm’
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500trimen
  6. Englishearliest quotation c. 1590–1591trim

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*trumaz‘firm’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*trumjaną‘to make fast’reconstructed
  3. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*trummjanreconstructed
  4. Old Englishc. 450–1150trymman‘to make firm’
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500trimen
  6. Englishearliest quotation c. 1590–1591trim

Earliest quotation: c. 1590–1591, William Shakespeare, The Two Gentlemen of Verona: “I was trimmed in Madam Julia's gown.”

Every English word from Proto-Germanic *trumaz

Today it means

verb To reduce slightly; to cut; especially, to remove excess.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Germanic *trumaz / trim

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