callow etymology

Etymology:

• Middle English: calu, from Old French calu "bald" (late 14th century); possibly related to Old Norse kalfr "bald"

Meaning:

• Lacking experience or maturity; youthful and naive
• Smooth and hairless

Origin:

The word "callow" originally referred to the smooth, hairless skin of a young bird. This meaning is still used in ornithology. Figuratively, it came to be applied to humans who are young, inexperienced, or lack maturity.

The word may be related to the Old Norse word "kalfr," meaning "bald." This suggests that the original sense of "callow" may have been "bald-headed." Over time, the meaning broadened to include other forms of hairlessness and then to figurative uses related to inexperience or naivete.

callow relate terms

• horizon

  Etymology Middle English orizont from Old French orizont from Late Latin horizon fr

• scorn

  Etymology Middle English scorn from Old English scorn of uncertain origin Possibl

• curtain

  Etymology and Meaning The word curtain comes from the Middle English word curtaine

• decide

  Etymology Decide derived from the Latin verb decidere which means to cut off to

• tender

  Etymology The word tender comes from the Old French verb tendre meaning to stretch

• fantastic

  Etymology The word fantastic originates from the Greek word phantastikos meaning p

• sufficient

  Etymology The word sufficient comes from the Latin word sufficientis which itself i

• Prussia

  Etymology The name Prussia is derived from the Old Prussian word Prūsa which means

• school

  Etymology The word school originates from the Greek term skholē which originally m