Where does “vrijbrief” come from?

vrijbrief (Dutch) comes from Dutch vrij, from Middle Dutch vri, from Old Dutch frī, from Proto-West Germanic frī, from Proto-Germanic frijaz, from Proto-Indo-European priHós, from Proto-Indo-European preyH- — to love, to please.

vrijbrief (Dutch): A written permit; originally, a historical...

Definitions

  1. A written permit; originally, a historical...

Ancestry of “vrijbrief”, step by step

vrijbrief traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Dutch vrij

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchvrijfree; not imprisoned or enslaved; free;...
2Middle Dutchvrifree
3Old Dutchfrīfree, unbound
4Proto-West Germanicfrīfree
5Proto-Germanicfrijazfree
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanpriHósdear, beloved; happy, free
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanpreyH-to love, to please

via Dutch brief

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchbriefletter
2Middle Dutchbrief
3Latinbrevisshort, small, little, narrow; brief, short;...
4Proto-Italic*breɣʷis
5Proto-Indo-Europeanmréǵʰusshort; brief
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmreǵʰ-short
Every word from Proto-Indo-European preyH-
vrijbrief — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer