Dumbfound
/ˈdʌm.faʊnd/noun
To make someone speechless with surprise or astonishment.
Did you know?The word is a blend of older English elements, and its history shows how English often turns intense states of mind into a single spell-like verb.
Etymological Timeline
Late 16th Century
English
dumbfound
“To strike speechless with astonishment”
Late 16th Century
English
dumb
“Speechless; unable to speak”
Late 16th Century
English
found
“To confuse, bewilder, or stun”
Old French
OF
confondre
“To confuse, confound, or mix up”
Latin
Latin
confundere
“To pour together; to confuse or throw into disorder”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʰew-
“To pour”