Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “fader” come from?

fader (Middle English) comes from Old English fæder, from Proto-West Germanic fader, from Proto-Germanic fadēr, from Proto-Indo-European ph₂tḗr, from Proto-Indo-European peh₂- — to protect; to shepherd.

fader (Middle English): A father; the male direct ancestor of someone or...

Definitions

  1. A father; the male direct ancestor of someone or...

Ancestry of “fader”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishfæderfather
2Proto-West Germanicfaderfather
3Proto-Germanicfadērfather
4Proto-Indo-Europeanph₂tḗrfather
5Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₂-to protect; to shepherd

Words derived from “fader”

  • father
  • fatherland
  • fathered
  • unfathered
  • housefather
  • fatherlike
  • motherfather
  • birthfather
  • fatherese
  • fatherdom
  • fatherfucker
  • nonfather
  • fatherer
  • fatherness
  • fatherkin
  • biofather
  • father-to-be
  • fatherkins
  • fatherling
  • merfather
  • shriftfather
  • feder
  • grandfaither
  • guid-faither
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₂- →