Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “misfire” come from?

misfire (English) comes from English fire, from Middle English fier, from Old English fȳr, from Old English feor, from Proto-Germanic ferrai, from Proto-Indo-European per-nóy, from Proto-Indo-European per-, from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós — passed , crossed.

misfire (English): An act of misfiring; To fail to discharge...

Definitions

  1. An act of misfiring; To fail to discharge...

Ancestry of “misfire”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfireA chemical reaction involving the bonding of...
2Middle EnglishfierAlternative form of figer
3Old Englishfȳrfire
4Old EnglishfeorAlternative form of feorr; far
5Proto-Germanicferraifar, distant
6Proto-Indo-Europeanper-nóy—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

Words derived from “misfire”

  • misfirer
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →