Where does “Friends” come from?
Friends is the plural of friend, from Old English frēond meaning "lover or beloved person," derived from the present participle of frēon meaning "to love."
Friends (English): plural of Friend
Definitions
- plural of Friend
Ancestry of “Friends”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Friend | A Quaker; a member of the Society of Friends;... |
| 2 | Middle English | frend | A friend or compatriot; a close associate; A... |
| 3 | Old English | frēond | friend, friendly; friend, relative, lover |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | frijōndz | friend, loved one |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | prēy- | to like, love; like, love |