Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “fother” come from?

fother (English) comes from Middle English foþer, from Old Norse fóðr, from Middle Low German vōder, from Proto-Germanic fōdrą, from Proto-Germanic fōdô, from Proto-Indo-European pat- — to feed; path; to go.

fother (English): A wagonload; A load of any sort; A load: various...

Definitions

  1. A wagonload; A load of any sort; A load: various...

Ancestry of “fother”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishfoþerAlternative form of fother
2Old Norsefóðrfodder; sheath
3Middle Low Germanvōderlinen, sheath; sheath, linen
4Proto-Germanicfōdrąfodder; sheath
5Proto-Germanicfōdôfood, nourishment
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpat-to feed; path; to go
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pat- →