Where does “fit” come from?

Fit comes from Old English fitt, from Proto-Germanic fitjō, a word of uncertain origin and meaning.

fit (English): Suitable, proper; Adapted to a purpose or...

Definitions

  1. Suitable, proper; Adapted to a purpose or...

Ancestry of “fit”, step by step

fit traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via English outfit

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishoutfitA set of clothing; Gear consisting of a set of...
2EnglishoutAway from the inside, centre or other point of...
3Middle Englishouteout
4Old Englishūtout
5Proto-West Germanic*ūtout, outward
6Proto-Germanicūtout, outward
7Proto-Indo-Europeanúdout, outward

via Middle English fit

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishfitan adversary of equal power
2Old Englishfittsong; conflict
3Proto-Germanicfitīsection, segment, chapter
4Proto-Indo-Europeanpedio-

via German fit

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanfitfit in good overall physical shape

Words derived from “fit

Every word from Proto-Indo-European úd