Etymology Explorer › English

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

  1. amusement, enjoyment or pleasure; playful, often...

Ancestry of “fun”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishfonneA fool, idiot or moron; Someone who is easily...
2Old Norsefánivain person, swaggerer
3Proto-Germanicfanôcloth; dook/duck; banner; flag
4Proto-Indo-Europeanpān-fabric

Words derived from “fun”

  • funny
  • funnily
  • unfunny
  • funhouse
  • funfair
  • funniness
  • funnyman
  • funfilled
  • funmaker
  • unfun
  • funster
  • superfun
  • funfest
  • funness
  • unfunniness
  • funless
  • funsies
  • unfunnily
  • antifun
  • funboard
  • funnish
  • funbags
  • funboarding
  • funlessly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pān- →