Where does “feu follet” come from?

feu follet (French) comes from French feu, from Old French fu, from Latin focus — fireplace, hearth; firepan, coal pan, brazier;...

feu follet (French): will-o'-the-wisp

Definitions

  1. will-o'-the-wisp

Ancestry of “feu follet”, step by step

feu follet traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via French feu

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchfeufire; lighter; traffic light
2Old Frenchfufire
3Latinfocusfireplace, hearth; firepan, coal pan, brazier;...

via French follet

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchfolletsprite, goblin; scatterbrained; manic, irregular
2Frenchfollefeminine singular of fou; madwoman; queen
Every word from Latin focus →Every word from Old French fu →Every word from French feu →