Where does “fun” come from?
Fun derives from Middle English fonne, from Old English fā and fāh, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European póyḱos, a root of uncertain original sense.
fun (English): amusement, enjoyment or pleasure; playful, often...
Definitions
- amusement, enjoyment or pleasure; playful, often...
Ancestry of “fun”, step by step
fun traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English fonne
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | fonne | A fool, idiot or moron; Someone who is easily... |
| 2 | Old Norse | fáni | vain person, swaggerer |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | fanô | cloth; dook/duck; banner; flag |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | pān- | fabric |
via Middle English fon
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | fon | Alternative form of fonnen; Alternative form of... |
| 2 | Middle English | fonnen | To be insane, stupid, or ridiculous; To trick or... |