Where does “ferry” come from?
Ferry comes from Middle English ferien, from Old English ferian, from Proto-West Germanic farjan, from Proto-Germanic farjaną, from the Proto-Indo-European root per- meaning to lead or convey.
ferry (English): To carry; transport; convey; To move someone or...
Definitions
- To carry; transport; convey; To move someone or...
Ancestry of “ferry”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | ferien | to carry, convey, convey in a boat |
| 2 | Old English | ferian | to take, move, carry; to direct the course of;... |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | farjan | to take somewhere, to carry, to ferry |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | farjaną | to take somewhere, to carry, to ferry |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |