Tell me more ×
English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. It's 100% free, no registration required.

If a gourmand chances upon a particularly delectable meal, he might say: "Mm, nummy in my tummy!"

Where does nummy come from? From dictionary.com I found that nummy is a form of yummy, formed by yum + -y , where yum is short for yum-yum. Is that accurate? And, where does yum-yum come from?

share|improve this question

2 Answers

up vote 3 down vote accepted

Cookie monster. See the Rocketboom video about "om nom nom". Notice, in Google timeline, that "nummy" word is not used to describe something that is yummy, until the 1970s. Cookie monster himself debuted in the 1969 premier season of Sesame Street. Nummy is just a another form of "nom nom", describing something as delicious.

share|improve this answer
I've seen 'om nom nom' as the onomatopoeic sound of eating, and the derivative from that of "nom" - but never nummy. – Orbling Dec 7 '10 at 1:15
Being around pre-schoolers a lot, I can assure you nummy is very much alive and well. – Lynn Jan 26 '12 at 16:14

"Nummy" sounds to me like a baby talk version of "yummy". But I don't know where "yummy" comes from!

share|improve this answer
7  
Search this very site, and you will find. – RegDwighт Dec 2 '10 at 10:42

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.