Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “friction” come from?

Friction comes from Middle French friction, derived from Latin frictionem, the noun form of fricare meaning to rub.

friction (English): The rubbing of one object or surface against...

Definitions

  1. The rubbing of one object or surface against...

Ancestry of “friction”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchfriction—
2Latinfrictionemaccusative singular of frictiō

Words derived from “friction”

  • frictional
  • frictionless
  • antifriction
  • frictionally
  • frictionlessly
  • magnetofrictional
  • nanofriction
  • underfriction
Every word from Latin frictionem →