Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “filter” come from?

Filter comes from Middle English filtre, from Medieval Latin filtrum, from Frankish filtir, ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European pelh₂- meaning to thrust or drive.

filter (English): A device which separates a suspended, dissolved,...

Definitions

  1. A device which separates a suspended, dissolved,...

Ancestry of “filter”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanfilterinflection of filtern: ## first-person singular...
2Frenchfiltrépast participle of filtrer; filtered
3Medieval Latinfiltrumfelt
4Frankishfiltir—
5Frankish*felt—
6Proto-Germanic*felt—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpeld-something beaten or compressed; felt
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpelh₂-to approach
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpel-to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold

Words derived from “filter”

  • filtering
  • prefilter
  • filterable
  • biofilter
  • filterability
  • postfilter
  • ultrafilter
  • microfilter
  • hemofilter
  • filterless
  • filterer
  • liftering
  • subfilter
  • refilter
  • nonfilter
  • filtergram
  • nonfilterable
  • unfilterable
  • unfilter
  • diafilter
  • multifilter
  • filtertop
  • filterest
  • filtereth
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pel- →