Where does “fourpence” come from?

Fourpence comes from English four and English penny, tracing back through Middle English peni to Proto-Germanic fedurþô and Proto-Indo-European kʷetwṓr, meaning four.

fourpence (English): A former British silver coin, worth four pence

Definitions

  1. A former British silver coin, worth four pence

Ancestry of “fourpence”, step by step

fourpence traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English four

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfourA numerical value equal to 4; the number after...
2Middle Englishfourfour
3Old Englishfēowerfour
4Proto-West Germanicfeuwarfour
5Proto-Germanicfedwōrfour
6Proto-Indo-Europeankʷetwóresfour
7Proto-Indo-Europeankʷe-and

via English Pence

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishPence(the subunit of the pound sterling or Irish pound)
2Middle EnglishpenyA penny or other silver coin including ancient coins
3Old Englishpenningpenny
4Proto-Germanicpanningaza coin, penny
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷe- →