Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “fer” come from?

fer (French) comes from Middle French fer, from Old French fer, from Latin ferus, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰwer- — wild; wild animal.

fer (French): iron; shoe ; steel tip; irons, fetters

Definitions

  1. iron; shoe ; steel tip; irons, fetters

Ancestry of “fer”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchferiron; sword
2Old Frenchferiron; sword; cruel; harsh
3Latinferuswild, savage; uncivilized, uncultivated; untamed,...
4Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰwer-wild; wild animal

Words derived from “fer”

  • ferrallero
  • ferralla
  • xylofer
  • ferreux
  • ferrique
  • enferrer
  • ferraille
  • féron
  • fer-blanc
  • ferblanterie
  • ferblantier
  • ferrer
  • ferrage
  • ferrailler
  • ferrailleur
  • ferre
  • ferraillage
  • ferret
  • féral
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰwer- →