Where does “fulfill” come from?
Fulfill comes from Middle English fulfillen, from Old English fullfyllan, combining Old English full- with Proto-Germanic fullijaną and fullaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European pleh₁- meaning to fill.
fulfill (English): To satisfy, carry out, bring to completion; To...
Definitions
- To satisfy, carry out, bring to completion; To...
Ancestry of “fulfill”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | fulfillen | to fulfill |
| 2 | Old English | fullfyllan | to fulfill, accomplish |
| 3 | Old English | fyllan | to fill; Alternative form of fiellan |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *fullijan | to fill |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | fullijaną | to fill, to make full |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | fullaz | full; the whole, the entire |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pl̥h₁nós | full |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pleh₁- | to fill |