bummeln (German)
Where does "bummeln" come from?
The German verb 'bummeln' arose in the 17th century as an iterative formation from the onomatopoeic sound 'bim-bam-bum', initially used for the swinging or wavering of a bell clapper[1]. By the 18th century, the Low German form 'bummeln' developed the contemporary meanings of dawdling, slacking, or strolling[1]. It is also related to the words 'baumeln' and 'Bommel'[1].
Open questions
- The relationship between the related word baumeln and Baum is described as a likely alteration, though the exact transition is not fully specified. [1]
Full etymology tree
- bummeln (German), 'to slack, to dawdle'
- derived bim-bam-bum (German)
- influenced by bummeln (Low German)
Descendants and derived words
- Bummel (German)
- Bummelant (German)
- Bummelantentum (German)
- Bummelantin (German)
- bummelig (German)
- Bummelzug (German)
Sources
Updated September 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris