Where does “fivefold” come from?

Fivefold comes from Middle English fiffold, from Old English fīffeald, a compound of five and fold meaning to multiply or increase.

fivefold (English): In fives; consisting of five in one; quintuple;...

Definitions

  1. In fives; consisting of five in one; quintuple;...

Ancestry of “fivefold”, step by step

fivefold traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English fiffold

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishfiffold—
2Old Englishfīffealdfivefold
3Old Englishfealdoccasion
4Alemannic GermanFald—
5Middle High Germanvëlt—
6Old High Germanfeld—
7Proto-West Germanicfelþufield
8Proto-Germanicfelþuzfield, plain
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpelh₂-to approach
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpel-to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold

via English five

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfiveA numerical value equal to 5; the number...
2Middle Englishfyffive
3Old Englishfīffive
4Proto-West Germanicfimffive
5Proto-Germanicfimffive
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpénkʷefive

via English fold

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfoldTo bend over so that it comes in contact with...
2Middle EnglishfoldA pen, enclosure, or shelter for domesticated animals
3Old Englishfald—
4Proto-Germanicfaludazan enclosed space, enclosure

Words derived from “fivefold”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European pel- →