Where does “fear” come from?
Fear derives from Middle English fere, Old English fēre, and Proto-Indo-European per-, ultimately tracing to Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós.
fear (English): A strong, uncontrollable, unpleasant emotion or...
Definitions
- A strong, uncontrollable, unpleasant emotion or...
Ancestry of “fear”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | fere | fear |
| 2 | Old English | fēre | able to go, fit for service |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | fēriz | crossing, able to cross |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |
Words derived from “fear”