Where does “fife” come from?
Fife comes from German Pfeife, from Middle High German pfīfe, from Old High German pfīfa, from Proto-Germanic pīpǭ, from Latin pipio, ultimately from Latin pipo.
fife (English): A small shrill pipe, resembling the piccolo...
Definitions
- A small shrill pipe, resembling the piccolo...
Ancestry of “fife”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | German | Pfeife | whistle; pipe |
| 2 | Middle High German | pfīfe | — |
| 3 | Old High German | pfīfa | — |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *pīpā | — |
| 5 | Vulgar Latin | pipa | pipe |
| 6 | Latin | pipo | I pip, peep |
Words derived from “fife”