Where does “ferme” come from?
ferme (Middle English) comes from Old French ferme, from Medieval Latin ferma, from Latin Firma, from Latin Firmus, from Proto-Italic fermos, from Proto-Indo-European dʰer-mo-s, from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- — to support; to hold.
Ancestry of “ferme”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old French | ferme | lease; the land leased; farm |
| 2 | Medieval Latin | ferma | Alternative form of firma |
| 3 | Latin | Firma | — |
| 4 | Latin | Firmus | — |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | fermos | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰer-mo-s | holding |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰer- | to support; to hold |
Words derived from “ferme”