Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “fiend” come from?

Fiend comes from Middle English fend, from Old English fēond, from Proto-Germanic fijandz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European peh₁-.

fiend (English): A devil or demon; a malignant or diabolical...

Definitions

  1. A devil or demon; a malignant or diabolical...

Ancestry of “fiend”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishfēnd—
2Old Englishfēondenemy; adversary, foe, enemy, fiend, devil,...
3Proto-Germanic*fijand—
4Proto-Germanicfijandzenemy, fiend
5Proto-Germanicfijānąto hate; to dislike
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₁-to hate, hurt

Words derived from “fiend”

  • fiendish
  • fiendishly
  • archfiend
  • fiendishness
  • fiendlike
  • feen
  • fiendful
  • fiendom
  • fienddom
  • dope fiend
  • fiendling
  • drug fiend
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₁- →