Where does “greyfriar” come from?
greyfriar (English) comes from English friar, from Middle English frere, from Old French frere, from Latin frāter, from Proto-Italic frātēr, from Proto-Indo-European bʰréh₂tēr — brother.
greyfriar (English): A member of the religious order of the...
Definitions
- A member of the religious order of the...
Ancestry of “greyfriar”, step by step
greyfriar traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English friar
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | friar | A member of a mendicant Christian order such as... |
| 2 | Middle English | frere | any of one's male associates, friends, buddies,... |
| 3 | Old French | frere | brother |
| 4 | Latin | frāter | brother |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | frātēr | brother |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰréh₂tēr | brother |
via English Grey
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Grey | A member of the Royal Scots Greys, a cavalry... |
| 2 | Middle English | grey | grey, dull, drab; glinting, glistening; grey |
| 3 | Old English | grǣġ | — |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *grāu | grey |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | grēwaz | grey |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰreh₁- | to become green, grow; to grow; to green, to grow |