Where does “first” come from?
first (Middle English) comes from Old English fyrst, from Proto-Germanic frestaz, from Proto-Indo-European pres-, from Proto-Indo-European per-, from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós — passed , crossed.
Ancestry of “first”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | fyrst | Alternative form of fierst; Alternative form of... |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | frestaz | — |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | pres- | to press |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |
Words derived from “first”