Where does “FOSS” come from?

FOSS (English) comes from Icelandic foss, from Old Norse fors, from Proto-Germanic fursaz, from Pre-Germanic pŕ̥sos, from Proto-Indo-European pers- — to sprinkle, to spatter.

FOSS (English): Initialism of Free and Open Source Software

Definitions

  1. Initialism of Free and Open Source Software

Ancestry of “FOSS”, step by step

FOSS traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Icelandic foss

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Icelandicfossa waterfall
2Old Norseforsa waterfall
3Proto-Germanicfursazwaterfall, torrent
4Pre-Germanicpŕ̥sos—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanpers-to sprinkle, to spatter

via Old Saxon fohs

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Saxonfohs—
2Proto-West Germanicfuhsfox
3Proto-Germanicfuhsazfox
4Proto-Indo-Europeanpúḱsosthe tailed one
5Proto-Indo-Europeanpuḱ-tail; press together

via Norwegian foss

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegianfoss—

Words derived from “FOSS”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European pers- →Every word from Pre-Germanic pŕ̥sos →Every word from Proto-Germanic fursaz →
FOSS — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer