English word origin

Etymology of blob

From Middle English *blob (attested in blobby). Possibly onomatopoeic, similarly to bleb and blubber.

3 source sectionsBrief source recordWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 3 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1 · variant 1/2

Original entry ↗

verb

To splash in the form of a [Term?] or blobs. · To drop a [Term?] or blobs onto; to cover with blobs. · To fall in the form of a [Term?] or blobs. · To relax idly and mindlessly; to veg out.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English *blob (attested in blobby). Possibly onomatopoeic, similarly to bleb and blubber.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inherited-form mention*blobenm

This page abbreviates 2 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:*blob"
      },
      "expansion": "[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"blob\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"blob\">"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "*blob"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English *blob"
    },
    {
      "name": "onomatopoeic",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "nocap": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "onomatopoeic"
    },
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:*blob"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*blob",
      "Reconstruction:Middle English/blob"
    ],
    [
      "blobby",
      "blobby#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "bleb",
      "bleb#English"
    ],
    [
      "blubber",
      "blubber#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To splash in the form of a [Term?] or blobs.",
        "To drop a [Term?] or blobs onto; to cover with blobs.",
        "To fall in the form of a [Term?] or blobs.",
        "To relax idly and mindlessly; to veg out."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive",
        "intransitive",
        "slang"
      ],
      "recordId": "6e791afaaa578499bccf633a7b0141f7a9a85f4441f0e10e824504409119f30a",
      "rawRecordSha256": "40e920a1d7b69babe96d4a4d7e86d0e7d3f30f186930d6e901af54ed4f3712c3",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 344465
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 2,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 1 · variant 2/2

Original entry ↗

noun

A shapeless or amorphous mass; a vague shape or amount, especially of a liquid or semisolid substance; a clump, group or collection that lacks definite shape. · The partially inflated air bag used as a trampoline in the sport of blobbing. · A score of zero. · A small freshwater fish, of the species Cottus bairdii; the miller's thumb.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English *blob (attested in blobby). Possibly onomatopoeic, similarly to bleb and blubber.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inherited-form mention*blobenm

This page abbreviates 5 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:*blob"
      },
      "expansion": "[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"blob\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"blob\">"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "*blob"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English *blob"
    },
    {
      "name": "onomatopoeic",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "nocap": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "onomatopoeic"
    },
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:*blob"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*blob",
      "Reconstruction:Middle English/blob"
    ],
    [
      "blobby",
      "blobby#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "bleb",
      "bleb#English"
    ],
    [
      "blubber",
      "blubber#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "lang_code": "ja",
      "word": "ブロッブ",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ],
      "roman": "burobbu"
    }
  ],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A shapeless or amorphous mass; a vague shape or amount, especially of a liquid or semisolid substance; a clump, group or collection that lacks definite shape.",
        "The partially inflated air bag used as a trampoline in the sport of blobbing.",
        "A score of zero.",
        "A small freshwater fish, of the species Cottus bairdii; the miller's thumb."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "slang"
      ],
      "recordId": "cf401d72b86569376a21c8cee4454968aca2e0405f2e4f3c25f3de6eb8947bc0",
      "rawRecordSha256": "f42b9007d155d9574d6fec001d0a1e74e08107cb8a76834c7a0063bcfd98fb66",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 344464
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 5,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

noun

Alternative letter-case form of BLOB: acronym of binary large object.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "nonlemma",
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form."
    }
  ],
  "links": [],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "Alternative letter-case form of BLOB: acronym of binary large object."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of"
      ],
      "recordId": "e7b94d03517a50fd9202c39d40033067f6396841638a7b6a68f08429cb147d36",
      "rawRecordSha256": "ce8b26cf50e37b830169668152064f271a135af4727e67136e3deeed01d572f7",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 344466
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for blob →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-YmxvYg