The term callow goes back to Old English calu, meaning “bald.” The original sense of callow referred to young birds lacking feathers on their heads, then referred to a young man’s down cheek, and eventually came to mean “youthful” or “immature.” This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Callow”
Grant, you know the term callow, right?
It means immature, lacking sophistication, callow youth.
Did you know that that goes all the way back to an old English word that means bald?
So how does it involve callowness?
I don’t understand.
Okay.
First of all, you have baldness.
And then it got applied to birds, like, you know, the little hatchlings that don’t have their feathers.
And then it got applied to the down on the birds and then the downy cheek of a boy who’s not quite growing his beard yet.
And then it was associated with youth and maturity.
I see.
Logical progression.
Yeah, old English callu goes to callo meaning immature.
So callo youth, callo elders.
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