lamb
/læm/
noun
Origin
Proto-Germanic
*lambaz — young sheep
Overview
Meaning Now
- A young sheep, specifically one less than one year old.
- The meat derived from a young sheep.
- A person who is gentle, innocent, or easily deceived.
Literal older meaning
young sheep
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Proto-Germanic → Old English → English
Earliest form
lamb
Earliest period
Old English period
Journey
The word is a core Germanic term reflecting the importance of sheep farming in ancient agricultural societies. The silent 'b' at the end of the word is the result of a Middle English phonological change where the cluster '-mb' simplified at the end of syllables.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*h₁l̥h₁-m-
“young animal”
Reconstructed root
- Proto-Germanic
*lambaz
“young sheep”
- Old English
lamb
“young sheep”
- Middle English
lambe
“young sheep”
- Modern English
lamb
“young sheep/meat”
Silent 'b' developed after the 'm' consonant
Connections
Word parts
lamb
root
young sheep
Related across languages
German
Lamm
lamb
Dutch
lam
lamb
Old Norse
lamb
Explore next
Related to lamb
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.