Where does “freshman” come from?
Freshman derives from English fresh and man, from Middle English man and mon, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European men- meaning to think or remember.
freshman (English): A novice; one in the rudiments of knowledge; A...
Definitions
- A novice; one in the rudiments of knowledge; A...
Ancestry of “freshman”, step by step
freshman traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English MAN
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | MAN | Initialism of Metropolitan Area Network |
| 2 | English | manual | A handbook; A booklet that instructs on the usage... |
| 3 | Middle English | manuel | — |
| 4 | Anglo-Norman | manuel | manual; done with the hands; handle; manual;... |
| 5 | Old French | manual | — |
| 6 | Latin | manuālis | hand |
| 7 | Latin | manus | hand; bravery, valor; violence, fighting |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | manus | hand |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | man- | human being; man; hand |
via English fresh
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | fresh | Newly produced or obtained; recent; Not cooked,... |
| 2 | German | frisch | fresh; recent |
| 3 | Middle High German | vrisch | — |
| 4 | Old High German | frisc | fresh |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | frisk | fresh; unsalted |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | friskaz | fresh; not salty, unsalted |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | preysk- | fresh |