Where does “fat” come from?
fat (Middle English) comes from Old English fæt, from Proto-West Germanic fait, from Proto-Germanic faitaz, from Proto-Indo-European poyH-, from Proto-Indo-European peyH- — fat, milk.
fat (Middle English): vat, vessel, cask
Ancestry of “fat”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | fæt | vessel, cup; gold plate |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | fait | fat |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | faitaz | fat |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | poyH- | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | peyH- | fat, milk |