Where does “fairnesse” come from?
fairnesse (Middle English) comes from Middle English faire, from Old English fæger, from Proto-Germanic *fagr, from Proto-Germanic fagraz, from Proto-Indo-European ph₂ḱ- — to fasten, place.
fairnesse (Middle English): fairness
Ancestry of “fairnesse”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | faire | fair; handsome; beautiful; attractive |
| 2 | Old English | fæger | beautiful; pleasant; beauty |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | *fagr | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | fagraz | suitable, fitting, appropriate, nice |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ph₂ḱ- | to fasten, place |