Bumper
/ˈbʌm.pər/noun
A protective bar or device on a vehicle or object; also something unusually large or impressive.
Did you know?“Bumper” first appeared in English as a word for a drinking cup filled to the brim, and only later became the thing on your car that takes the impact.
Etymological Timeline
Early 17th Century
English
bumper
“A cup or glass filled to the brim, especially in a toast.”
16th–17th Century
English
bump
“A heavy blow or thud; the sound or action of striking.”
Late Middle English
English
bump
“To strike or collide with a dull impact.”
Uncertain, probably imitative
Proto-Germanic/English
*bump-
“An echoic base imitating a dull blow or thump.”
19th Century
English
bumper
“A device on a vehicle designed to absorb or lessen impact.”