Where does “french” come from?
French derives from Middle English Frensch, from Old English frencisc, an adjective formed with the Old English suffix -isċ meaning "of or pertaining to," itself from Proto-West Germanic -isk, Proto-Germanic -iskaz, and Proto-Indo-European -iskos.
french (English): To prepare food by cutting it into strips; To...
Definitions
- To prepare food by cutting it into strips; To...
Ancestry of “french”, step by step
french traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English Frensch
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | Frensch | French |
| 2 | Old English | Frenċisċ | Frankish |
| 3 | Old English | Franca | Frank, Frenchman; a Frank |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | frankō | spear, javelin; a Frank |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | frankô | spear, javelin; a Frank |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | prAng- | pole, stalk |
via Middle English Frensh
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | Frensh | — |
| 2 | Old English | frencisc | of the Franks, Frankish, French |
via Middle English French
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | French | — |