Where does “French” come from?
French comes from Middle English Frensch, from Old English frencisc, formed with the Old English suffix -isċ meaning "of or pertaining to," from Proto-West Germanic -isk, from Proto-Germanic -iskaz, from Proto-Indo-European -iskos.
French (English): The people of France; groups of French people;...
Definitions
- The people of France; groups of French people;...
Ancestry of “French”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | French | — |
| 2 | Old English | Frenċisċ | Frankish |
| 3 | Old English | Franca | Frank, Frenchman; a Frank |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | frankō | spear, javelin; a Frank |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | frankô | spear, javelin; a Frank |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | prAng- | pole, stalk |
Words derived from “French”