Ruminations.
Where does the word "prim" come from?
"Prim" as an adjective meaning "stiffly precise in manner or speech" is of uncertain origin, but probably ultimately comes from the Latinprimus, "first, or finest," appearing in 1709 according to etymonline, but in 1702 according to the oxford english dictionary. The OED lists 11 different meanings for the word - 6 nouns, 2 adjectives, and 3 verbs, several with separate derivations. The noun form acquired the meaning "privet" (a type of plant) in 1573, and "a Primitive Methodist" in 1949; obsolete meanings for the noun include "a young attractive woman or paramour; a small fish; a prig; and the act of screwing up the mouth." The verb form has three meanings : "to assume a formal air, or to pout," (1688), "to close the lips stiffly," (1707), and "to put one's dress or hair in order." (1721). The earliest written use of the noun is in 1509, in the writings of Alexander Barclay, clergyman and poet; of the verb, in 1688, in the writings of Thomas D'Urfey, playwright; and of the adjective, in 1702, in the writings of Richard Steele, co-founder of The Spectator. Links.NightCafe Image Source