Where does “unfirm” come from?
unfirm (English) comes from English firm, from Middle English ferme, from Old French ferme, from Medieval Latin ferma, from Latin Firma, from Latin Firmus, from Proto-Italic fermos, from Proto-Indo-European dʰer-mo-s — to support; to hold.
unfirm (English): Not firm; not strong or stable; feeble; infirm
Definitions
- Not firm; not strong or stable; feeble; infirm
Ancestry of “unfirm”, step by step
unfirm traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English firm
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | firm | A business partnership; the name under which it... |
| 2 | Middle English | ferme | A lease; the renting of land |
| 3 | Old French | ferme | lease; the land leased; farm |
| 4 | Medieval Latin | ferma | Alternative form of firma |
| 5 | Latin | Firma | tax, tribute |
| 6 | Latin | Firmus | strong, powerful |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | fermos | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰer-mo-s | holding |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰer- | to support; to hold |
via English un
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | un | One |