Where does “faith” come from?
Faith derives from Middle English faith, from Old French fei, from Latin fides meaning trust or confidence, from Proto-Indo-European bʰidʰ- and bʰeydʰ-.
faith (English): A trust or confidence in the intentions or...
Definitions
- A trust or confidence in the intentions or...
Ancestry of “faith”, step by step
faith traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English faith
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | faith | — |
| 2 | Old French | fei | Alternative form of foi |
| 3 | Latin | fides | faith, belief; reliance; confidence, trust |
| 4 | Latin | fido | I trust, put confidence in; I rely upon; dative... |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | feiðō | to trust |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰéydʰeti | to trust |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰeydʰ- | to compel, force; to trust |
via Middle English feith
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | feith | faith |
| 2 | Old French | foi | faith; allegiance; faithfulness |
| 3 | Latin | fidēs | — |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | feiðos | faithful, reliable |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰeydʰos | faithful, trustworthy |
via Middle English fayth
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | fayth | — |