Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “freeload” come from?

freeload (English) comes from English freeloader, from English Free, from English faller, from English -er, from Middle English -er, from Old French -er, from Latin -āre, from Proto-Italic -āō — he, she.

freeload (English): To live off the generosity or hospitality of...

Definitions

  1. To live off the generosity or hospitality of...

Ancestry of “freeload”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishfreeloader—
2EnglishFree—
3EnglishfallerOne who falls; A fruit that falls from the tree,...
4English-erA person or thing that does an action indicated...
5Middle English-eragentive suffix; agent noun suffix
6Old French-erAlternative form of -ier, verbal suffix;...
7Latin-āre—
8Proto-Italic-āōForms primarily denominative verbs
9Proto-Indo-European-eh₂yétiCreates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive...
10Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
11Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-—
12Chichewaiyehe, she
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