Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “felon” come from?

Felon derives from Middle English feloun, from Old French felon, from Medieval Latin fello, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰelh₃-, meaning to gall or irritate.

felon (English): A person who has committed a felony; A person who...

Definitions

  1. A person who has committed a felony; A person who...

Ancestry of “felon”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishWood—
2EnglishFrogAlternative form of frog
3Portuguesefrocoflock
4Latinfloccustuft, wisp of wool
5Frankishflokkodown, wool, flock
6Proto-Germanic*flukkô—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanplewk-to fly, flow, run; to splash, to flap with hands
8Proto-Indo-Europeanplew-to fly, flow, run

Words derived from “felon”

  • felonry
  • felonous
  • felonwort
  • feloness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European plew- →