Where does “fen” come from?
fen (Middle English) comes from Old English fenn, from Old English tūn, from Proto-West Germanic tūn, from Proto-Germanic tūną, from Gaulish dunum, from Proto-Celtic dūnom, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- — smoke; mist, haze.
fen (Middle English): fen, bog, swamp; dirt, muddiness; dung, feces
Definitions
- fen, bog, swamp; dirt, muddiness; dung, feces
Ancestry of “fen”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | fenn | mud; fen, marsh |
| 2 | Old English | tūn | enclosure, yard; place; dwelling |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | tūn | fence |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | tūną | fence; enclosure |
| 5 | Gaulish | dunum | fort; hill, hillfort |
| 6 | Proto-Celtic | dūnom | stronghold, rampart |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰewh₂- | smoke; mist, haze |