Where does “figure” come from?

Figure derives from Middle English figure, from Old French figure, from Latin figura, from Latin fingo meaning "to shape," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European dʰeyǵʰ-.

figure (English): A drawing or diagram conveying information; The...

Definitions

  1. A drawing or diagram conveying information; The...

Ancestry of “figure”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishfigureshape, form, appearance
2Old Frenchfigure—
3Latinfigūrashape, form, figure
4Latinfingōto shape, fashion, form, knead (dough)
5Proto-Indo-Europeandʰeyǵʰ-to knead; to form, to shape

Words derived from “figure”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰeyǵʰ- →