Where does “fib” come from?
Fib comes from English fable, from Latin fabula meaning story or tale, tracing back through Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to speak or tell.
fib (English): A lie, especially one that is more or less...
Definitions
- A lie, especially one that is more or less...
Ancestry of “fib”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | fibula | An ancient kind of brooch used to hold clothing... |
| 2 | Italian | fibula | fibula, calf bone |
| 3 | Spanish | fíbula | fibula; clamp connection |
| 4 | French | fibule | fibula ancient kind of brooch used to hold clothing together, similar in function to the modern safety pin |
| 5 | German | Fibula | — |
| 6 | Portuguese | fíbula | fibula |
| 7 | Latin | fibula | clasp, buckle, brooch |
| 8 | Latin | -āris | first conjugation |
| 9 | Latin | -ālis | — |
| 10 | Proto-Italic | -ālis | forms relational adjectives |