I’m referring to the similar definitions of these four nouns –
something raised and rounded. Why do these four rhyming words
have similar meanings? I have not found very specific sources
for these words on the Online Etymology Dictionary and
Wiktionary. Hump is “probably from Dutch homp.” Rump is “from a
Scandinavian source,” “from Old Norse rumpr” ultimately from
Proto-Germanic “rumpo.” Lump is “perhaps from a Scandinavian
source” and finally, Bump is “perhaps from Scandinavian,”
“probably of North Germanic origin.” Could these words come from
the same root? Other than the fact that they all might come from
northern Europe, the only hint I have in this direction is the
following from Wiktionary, tracing the origin of Hump through
Dutch, Middle Low German, Old Saxon and Proto-Germanic, to
Proto-Indo-European *kumb-, *kumbʰ- (“curved”). Could this PIE
root, which is not given in these online sources for any of the
other three words, be a common root to all four words? I find
myself looking at other –ump words