Boomerang
/ˈbuːməræŋ/noun
A curved throwing stick that is designed to return to the thrower, or a result that comes back to its source.
Did you know?English borrowed boomerang from Dharug, an Aboriginal language of the Sydney region, and the object’s famous “return” was so striking that it became a metaphor for consequences that circle back.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰew-
“to swell, blow up, or make a loud sound”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*beu- / *bū-
“to swell, grow, or make a booming sound”
Dharug
Aboriginal Australian
bumarang / boomerang
“a curved throwing stick, often used as a hunting weapon”
1790s
English
boomerang
“a returning curved throwing stick, first recorded in English from Australia”
Modern English
English
boomerang
“a returning throwing stick; by extension, a result that returns to affect the person who caused it”