Where does “firth” come from?
firth (English) comes from Middle English firth, from Scots firth, from Middle English fyrth, from Old Norse fjǫrðr, from Proto-Norse ᚠᛖᚱᚦᚢᛉ, from Proto-Germanic ferþuz, from Proto-Indo-European pértus, from Proto-Indo-European per- — passed , crossed.
firth (English): An arm or inlet of the sea; a river estuary;...
Definitions
- An arm or inlet of the sea; a river estuary;...
Ancestry of “firth”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | firth | Alternative form of frith; forest, game preserve |
| 2 | Scots | firth | — |
| 3 | Middle English | fyrth | — |
| 4 | Old Norse | fjǫrðr | firth, fjord |
| 5 | Proto-Norse | ᚠᛖᚱᚦᚢᛉ | — |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | ferþuz | inlet, fjord |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pértus | crossing |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |