clumsy

Where does the word "clumsy" come from? It comes from Swedish klumsa, passing through Middle English before entering English (1590s).

Clumsy’s story begins in Swedish: klumsa meant “to be numb with cold.” Scandinavian dialect verb for being numb or stiff with cold, related to 'clam' and 'clamp'. By 1300s, the word had taken hold in Middle English as clumse. Survived in northern English dialect meaning stiff-fingered or benumbed. It reached English by 1590s as clumsy. From fingers too cold to work properly, it broadened to any awkward, ungainly movement. Today, clumsy means moving or doing things awkwardly and carelessly.

1. Stage 1 · Swedish · medieval klumsa "to be numb with cold", Scandinavian dialect verb for being numb or stiff with cold, related to 'clam' and 'clamp'.
2. Stage 2 · Middle English · 1300s clumse "benumbed, stiff with cold", survived in northern English dialect meaning stiff-fingered or benumbed.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1590s clumsy "awkward in movement or handling", from fingers too cold to work properly, it broadened to any awkward, ungainly movement.