Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “fairgrounds” come from?

Fairgrounds comes from English fair and English ground, where ground derives from English grind, Faroese grind, and Proto-Indo-European roots ph₂ḱ- and dʰeh₁- meaning to press or set.

fairgrounds (English): Alternative spelling of fairground; the grounds...

Definitions

  1. Alternative spelling of fairground; the grounds...

Ancestry of “fairgrounds”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishgroundsplural of ground; Basis or justification for...
2EnglishgroundThe surface of the Earth, as opposed to the sky...
3Middle Englishgroundground; Earth
4Old Englishgrundground; bottom, foundation; abyss, depths
5Proto-Germanicgrunduzground, foundation
6Proto-Indo-Europeangʰrem-to be angry; to sound, bellow, growl, roar, be...
7Proto-Indo-Europeangʰer-to rub; to stroke; to grind
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʰer- →