Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “unfast” come from?

unfast (English) comes from English fast, from Middle English fast, from Old English fæste, from Old English -e, from Old English -en, from Old Norse -inn, from Proto-Norse -īna-, from Proto-Germanic -īnaz — adjectival suffix.

unfast (English): To loose; release; Not fast or safe; not secure

Definitions

  1. To loose; release; Not fast or safe; not secure

Ancestry of “unfast”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfastFirmly or securely fixed in place; stable; Firm...
2Middle Englishfastfast
3Old Englishfæste—
4Old English-eforming adverbs from adjectives; -ly
5Old English-enmæġþ + API → mæġden; cocc + API → cycen, cicen;...
6Old Norse-innUsed to create adjectives from nouns, meaning...
7Proto-Norse-īna-—
8Proto-Germanic-īnaz-en
9Proto-Indo-European-iHnosCreates adjectives of materials
10Proto-Indo-European-no-adjectival suffix

Words derived from “unfast”

  • unfastness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -no- →