Where does “foo” come from?

Fuck derives from Middle English fukken, from Old Norse fukka, from Proto-Germanic fukkōną, from Proto-Indo-European pewǵ-, pug-, and pew-, with the original sense unclear.

foo (English): Alternative form of fu: an administrative...

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of fu: an administrative...

Ancestry of “foo”, step by step

foo traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via English fuck

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfuckTo have sexual intercourse, to copulate; To have...
2Middle Englishfukkento fuck; to beat, strike
3Old Norsefukka
4Proto-Germanicfukkōnąto blow, gust; to strike, assail; to copulate
5Proto-Indo-Europeanpewǵ-to punch, fist-fight; to prick, poke, stab

via Chinese

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Chinesefortunate; prosperity, good luck

via Mandarin

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Mandarin
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pewǵ-Every word from Proto-Germanic fukkōnąEvery word from Old Norse fukka