Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “nonfarm” come from?

Nonfarm is a Modern English compound formed from the prefix non- and farm, with farm deriving from Latin firma, meaning a fixed payment or lease.

nonfarm (English): Concerned with the economic activities of all...

Definitions

  1. Concerned with the economic activities of all...

Ancestry of “nonfarm”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishnon-Used in the sense of no or none, to show lack of...
2Latinnōnus—
3Latinnovenosaccusative masculine plural of novēnus
4Latinnovemnine; 9; first-person singular present active...
5LatinnovoI make new, renew, refresh; I alter, change;...
6Proto-Italicnowāō—
7Proto-Indo-Europeannéweh₂tito renew
8Proto-Indo-Europeannéwosnew
9Proto-Indo-Europeannew-new; to nod, assent to
Every word from Proto-Indo-European new- →