Where does “First” come from?

First (German) comes from Old High German first, from Proto-Germanic firstiz, from Proto-Indo-European perst-.

First (German): ridge

Definitions

  1. ridge

Ancestry of “First”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old High Germanfirstspike, protuberance
2Proto-Germanicfirstizridgepole
3Proto-Indo-Europeanperst-
Every word from Proto-Indo-European perst-Every word from Proto-Germanic firstizEvery word from Old High German first