Where does “-free” come from?

-free (English) comes from Middle English -fre, from Old English -frēo, from Old English frēo, from Proto-Germanic *frī, from Proto-Germanic frijaz, from Proto-Indo-European priHós, from Proto-Indo-European preyH- — to love, to please.

-free (English): free from; devoid of; without

Definitions

  1. free from; devoid of; without

Ancestry of “-free”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle English-fre—
2Old English-frēo—
3Old Englishfrēofree, joyful
4Proto-Germanic*frī—
5Proto-Germanicfrijazfree
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanpriHósdear, beloved; happy, free
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanpreyH-to love, to please

Words derived from “-free”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European preyH- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European priHós →Every word from Proto-Germanic frijaz →