Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “feel” come from?

Feel comes from Middle English felen, from Old Norse fela, from Proto-Germanic fōlijaną, from Proto-Indo-European pele(w)-, of uncertain ultimate meaning.

feel (English): "To use or experience the sense of touch."; "To...

Definitions

  1. "To use or experience the sense of touch."; "To...

Ancestry of “feel”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1English-erA person or thing that does an action indicated...
2Middle English-eragentive suffix; agent noun suffix
3Old French-erAlternative form of -ier, verbal suffix;...
4Latin-āre—
5Proto-Italic-āōForms primarily denominative verbs
6Proto-Indo-European-eh₂yétiCreates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive...
7Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-—
9Chichewaiyehe, she

Words derived from “feel”

  • feeling
  • feelings
  • unfeeling
  • feelingly
  • feeler
  • unfeelingly
  • feelest
  • mouthfeel
  • feeleth
  • feelingless
  • unfeelingness
  • feelable
  • nonfeeling
  • feelie
  • feelingness
  • forefeel
  • unfeel
  • feelered
  • feelinglessness
  • feelth
  • overfeel
  • underfeeling
  • gutfeel
  • afterfeel
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