drooling

The verb 'drool' emerged in English in the early 19th century, primarily as a dialectal term. It is believed to be a variant of the much older word 'drivel', which dates back to Old English 'dreflian' meaning "to slaver or run at the mouth." Both words likely originate from an imitative or expressive Proto-Germanic root, meant to mimic the sound or action of saliva dribbling from the mouth. This concrete, physical sense naturally extended into the informal figurative meaning of showing excessive, often foolish, desire or admiration, as if one is so captivated that self-control is lost.

The word 'drool' is considered a simplex word. It is likely an alteration or variant of the earlier English word 'drivel', which shares a similar meaning. Its ultimate origin is obscure but may be imitative or expressive in nature, related to other words for saliva or foolish talk.