lemming

Where does the word "lemming" come from? It comes from Norwegian lemming, and was adopted directly into English (1700s).

Lemming’s story begins in Norwegian: lemming meant “lemming.” The name for the small Arctic rodent known for mass migrations. It reached English by 1700s as lemming. The myth of lemming mass suicide was spread by the 1958 Disney film 'White Wilderness'. Today, lemming means a small Arctic rodent, or (figuratively) someone who follows the crowd without question.

1. Stage 1 · Norwegian · medieval lemming "lemming", the name for the small Arctic rodent known for mass migrations.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1700s lemming "a small Arctic rodent, or one who blindly follows the crowd", the myth of lemming mass suicide was spread by the 1958 Disney film 'White Wilderness'.