Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “firefighting” come from?

Firefighting derives from English fire, from Middle English fier, from Old English fȳr, from Proto-Germanic fōr, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European péh₂wr̥, meaning fire or heat.

firefighting (English): Extinguishing a fire; The profession of being a...

Definitions

  1. Extinguishing a fire; The profession of being a...

Ancestry of “firefighting”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfireA chemical reaction involving the bonding of...
2Middle EnglishfierAlternative form of figer
3Old Englishfȳrfire
4Old EnglishfeorAlternative form of feorr; far
5Proto-Germanicferraifar, distant
6Proto-Indo-Europeanper-nóy—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

Words derived from “firefighting”

  • nonfirefighting
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →