Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “foss” come from?

foss (English) comes from Old Norse fors, from Proto-Germanic fursaz, from Pre-Germanic pŕ̥sos, from Proto-Indo-European pers- — to sprinkle, to spatter.

foss (English): Alternative spelling of fosse; Waterfall

Definitions

  1. Alternative spelling of fosse; Waterfall

Ancestry of “foss”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norseforsa waterfall
2Proto-Germanicfursazwaterfall, torrent
3Pre-Germanicpŕ̥sos—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanpers-to sprinkle, to spatter
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pers- →