Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “fake” come from?

Fake comes from Dutch feeks, from Dutch vegen meaning "to sweep," from Middle Dutch vēgen, from Old Dutch fegon, from Proto-Germanic fegōną, from Proto-Indo-European peḱ-.

fake (English): Not real; false, fraudulent; Insincere; Something...

Definitions

  1. Not real; false, fraudulent; Insincere; Something...

Ancestry of “fake”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfeakAlternative form of feague
2Germanfegento sweep, to polish
3Middle Low Germanvegen—
4Old Dutchfegōnto cleanse
5Proto-West Germanicfaginōnto gladden, rejoice
6Proto-Germanicfaginōnąto gladden, rejoice
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpōḱ-—

Words derived from “fake”

  • faker
  • fakery
  • fakeness
  • fakie
  • fakey
  • fakement
  • fakely
  • unfakeable
  • fakebook
  • fakeable
  • faky
  • unfakable
  • fakable
  • fakiness
  • semifake
  • outfake
  • unfakeably
  • unfakably
  • fakefan
  • fakester
  • fakebit
  • faken
  • fakemail
  • Fake
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pōḱ- →