Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “enfeffen” come from?

enfeffen (Middle English) comes from Old French enfeffer, from Old French fief, from Latin fevum, from Latin feudum, from Frankish fehu, from Proto-Germanic fehu, from Proto-Indo-European péḱu, from Proto-Indo-European peḱ- — to pluck; livestock; wealth.

enfeffen (Middle English): to grant under the feudal system

Definitions

  1. to grant under the feudal system

Ancestry of “enfeffen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchenfeffer—
2Old Frenchfiefestate held by a person on condition of providing...
3Latinfevumfief, fee
4LatinfeudumA fief, fee
5Frankishfehulivestock, cattle; cattle, owndom, property, fee;...
6Proto-Germanicfehulivestock, cattle; property; name of the F-rune
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpéḱulivestock
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpeḱ-to pluck; livestock; wealth

Words derived from “enfeffen”

  • enfeoffment
  • enfeoff
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peḱ- →