Where does “food” come from?

Food derives from Middle English fode, from Old English fōda, from Proto-Germanic fōdô, from Proto-Indo-European pat-, meaning to feed or nourish.

food (English): Any solid substance that can be consumed by...

Definitions

  1. Any solid substance that can be consumed by...

Ancestry of “food”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishfodefood, nourishment; manna; holy nourishment
2Old Englishfōdafood
3Proto-Germanicfōdôfood, nourishment
4Proto-Indo-Europeanpat-to feed; path; to go

Words derived from “food”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European pat- →Every word from Proto-Germanic fōdô →Every word from Old English fōda →