Where does “vixen” come from?

Vixen comes from Middle English vixen, from Old English fyxen, from Old French fixe, from Latin fixus, the past participle of figere meaning "to fasten or drive in," from Proto-Indo-European dʰeygʷ-.

vixen (English): A female fox; A malicious, quarrelsome or...

Definitions

  1. A female fox; A malicious, quarrelsome or...

Ancestry of “vixen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfixenObsolete form of vixen
2Middle Englishfixena vixen
3Old Englishfyxenvixen
4Proto-West Germanicfuhsinivixen, female fox
5Proto-West Germanicfuhsfox
6Proto-Germanicfuhsazfox
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpúḱsosthe tailed one
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpuḱ-tail; press together
Every word from Proto-Indo-European puḱ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European púḱsos →Every word from Proto-Germanic fuhsaz →