Where does “fuel” come from?

Fuel comes from Middle English fewell, from Old French fouaille, derived from Old French feu meaning fire, ultimately from Latin focus meaning hearth or fireplace.

fuel (English): Substance consumed to provide energy through...

Definitions

  1. Substance consumed to provide energy through...

Ancestry of “fuel”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishfuayleFuel; items to be burnt
2Old Frenchfouaillefirewood; torch
3Old Frenchfeufire
4Late Latinfocusfire
5Latinfocusfireplace, hearth; firepan, coal pan, brazier;...

Words derived from “fuel”

Every word from Latin focus →Every word from Late Latin focus →Every word from Old French feu →