Where does “fain” come from?

fain (Middle English) comes from Old English fægen, from Proto-Germanic *fagan, from Proto-Germanic faganaz, from Proto-Indo-European peḱ- — to pluck; livestock; wealth.

fain (Middle English): joyful, happy; willing, eager; pleasing,...

Definitions

  1. joyful, happy; willing, eager; pleasing,...

Ancestry of “fain”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishfægenjoyful, rejoicing, fain
2Proto-Germanic*fagan—
3Proto-Germanicfaganazglad
4Proto-Indo-Europeanpeḱ-to pluck; livestock; wealth

Words derived from “fain”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European peḱ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic faganaz →Every word from Proto-Germanic *fagan →
fain — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer