Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “raffermir” come from?

raffermir (French) comes from French affermir, from French fermé, from Middle French ferme, from Old French ferme, from Medieval Latin ferma, from Latin Firma, from Latin Firmus, from Proto-Italic fermos — to support; to hold.

raffermir (French): to strengthen

Definitions

  1. to strengthen

Ancestry of “raffermir”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchaffermirto firm up; to strengthen; to make firmer
2Frenchfermépast participle of fermer; closed
3Middle Frenchfermefirm
4Old Frenchfermelease; the land leased; farm
5Medieval LatinfermaAlternative form of firma
6LatinFirma—
7LatinFirmus—
8Proto-Italicfermos—
9Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-mo-sholding
10Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-to support; to hold

Words derived from “raffermir”

  • raffermissement
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- →