Where does “befraught” come from?
befraught (English) comes from English fraught, from Middle English fraught, from Dutch vracht, from Middle Dutch vracht, from Middle Low German vracht, from Old Saxon frāht, from Proto-Germanic fra-, from Proto-Indo-European pro- — passed , crossed.
befraught (English): fraught
Ancestry of “befraught”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | fraught | The hire of a ship or boat to transport cargo;... |
| 2 | Middle English | fraught | — |
| 3 | Dutch | vracht | freight; a large amount, a mass |
| 4 | Middle Dutch | vracht | payment for cargo; freight, load, cargo |
| 5 | Middle Low German | vracht | freight money |
| 6 | Old Saxon | frāht | — |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | fra- | off, away; completely, fully, up |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |