Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “fretsome” come from?

fretsome (English) comes from English FRET, from Middle English frēten, from Old French freter, from Old French fret, from Middle Dutch vrecht, from Old Dutch frēht, from Proto-Germanic fra-, from Proto-Indo-European pro- — passed , crossed.

fretsome (English): Characterised or marked by fretting or...

Definitions

  1. Characterised or marked by fretting or...

Ancestry of “fretsome”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishFRETFörster resonance energy transfer; fluorescence...
2Middle Englishfrētento eat; to devour, eat up; to bite, chew; to...
3Old Frenchfreterto fret
4Old Frenchfretcharge; past participle of fraindre
5Middle DutchvrechtAlternative form of vracht; cost of transport
6Old Dutchfrēht—
7Proto-Germanicfra-off, away; completely, fully, up
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-toward, forward
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpor-to give birth; forward, through; going, passage
10Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
11Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →