Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “findfault” come from?

findfault (English) comes from English fault, from Middle English faulte, from Old French faute, from Vulgar Latin fallita, from Latin falsus, from Latin fallō, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰwel- — to bend; to lie, deceive.

findfault (English): A censurer or caviler

Definitions

  1. A censurer or caviler

Ancestry of “findfault”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfaultA defect; something that detracts from...
2Middle Englishfaulte—
3Old Frenchfautefault; error; mistake
4Vulgar Latinfallitashortcoming
5Latinfalsusdeceived, tricked, cheated, disappointed, having...
6Latinfallō—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰwel-to bend; to lie, deceive
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰwel- →