Where does “fellow” come from?
Fellow derives from English -er combined with Chinese 兒, Old Norse félag, and Latin -arius, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European peḱ-.
fellow (English): A colleague or partner; A companion; a comrade; A...
Definitions
- A colleague or partner; A companion; a comrade; A...
Ancestry of “fellow”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | felawe | A partner, friend, or colleague; one linked with... |
| 2 | Old English | fēolaga | companion, partner, colleague |
| 3 | Old Norse | félagi | one with whom one has joined one's property;... |
| 4 | Old Norse | félag | fellowship, partnership |
| 5 | Old Norse | fé | cattle; livestock; property, money |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | fehu | livestock, cattle; property; name of the F-rune |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | péḱu | livestock |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | peḱ- | to pluck; livestock; wealth |