sponge的词源

英文词源

sponge (n.): Old English sponge, spunge, from Latin spongia "a sponge," also "sea animal from which a sponge comes," from Greek spongia, related to spongos "sponge," of unknown origin. "Probably a loanword from a non-IE language, borrowed independently into Greek, Latin and Armenian in a form *sphong-" [de Vaan]. The Latin word is the source of Old Saxon spunsia, Middle Dutch spongie, Old French esponge, Spanish esponja, Italian spugna.

In English in reference to the marine animal from 1530s. To throw in the sponge "quit, submit" (1860) is from prizefighting, in reference to the sponges used to cleanse the faces of combatants between rounds (compare later throw in the towel). Sponge-cake is attested from 1808.
sponge (v.): late 14c., "to soak up with a sponge," also (transitive) "to cleanse or wipe with a sponge," from sponge (n.). The slang sense of "to live in a parasitic manner, live at the expense of others" is attested from 1670s; sponger (n.) in this sense is from 1670s. Originally it was the victim who was the sponge (c. 1600), because he or she was being "squeezed." Intransitive sense "pe for sponges" is from 1881. Related: Sponged; sponging.

来自古英语 sponge,来自拉丁语 spongia,来自希腊语 spongos,海绵生物，海绵。该海绵生物为海绵的原型。由于海绵的吸水性，引申词义白吃，白喝，蹭饭等。

该词的英语词源请访问找单词词源英文版：sponge 词源，sponge 含义。