Where does “free” come from?
Free comes from Middle English free, Old English frēo, Proto-West Germanic frī, Proto-Germanic frijaz, and Proto-Indo-European preyH-, a root of uncertain ultimate meaning.
free (English): Unconstrained; Obtainable without any payment;...
Definitions
- Unconstrained; Obtainable without any payment;...
Ancestry of “free”, step by step
free traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English free
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | free | — |
| 2 | Old English | frēo | free, joyful |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | *frī | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | frijaz | free |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | priHós | dear, beloved; happy, free |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | preyH- | to love, to please |
via Middle English fre
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | fre | free, independent, unrestricted; unblocked,... |
via Middle English freo
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | freo | — |