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Where does the word "awkward" come from? It comes from Old Norse afugr, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).
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Where does the word "awkward" come from? It comes from Old Norse afugr, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).
Awkward’s story begins in Old Norse: afugr meant “turned backwards, contrary.” Turned the wrong way, backwards. It reached English by 1300s as awkward. Settled as the word for clumsy or socially uncomfortable. Today, awkward means causing difficulty, embarrassment, or lacking social ease.
- Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval afugr "turned backwards, contrary", turned the wrong way, backwards.
- Stage 2 · English · 1300s awkward "clumsy or socially uncomfortable", settled as the word for clumsy or socially uncomfortable.