Where does “furbissimo” come from?
furbissimo (Italian) comes from Italian furbo, from French fourbe, from French fourbir, from Middle French fourbir, from Old French forbir, from Frankish furbēn, from Proto-Indo-European prep- — to appear, to be visible.
Ancestry of “furbissimo”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Italian | furbo | astute, cunning, sly, wily, crafty; smart... |
| 2 | French | fourbe | guile, deception; double-dealer, swindler;... |
| 3 | French | fourbir | to furbish, burnish |
| 4 | Middle French | fourbir | — |
| 5 | Old French | forbir | to clean; to polish |
| 6 | Frankish | furbēn | to clean, polish; to clean |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | prep- | to appear, to be visible |