Where does “fole” come from?

fole (Middle English) comes from Old French fol, from Latin follis, from Proto-Indo-European bʰelǵʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰel-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰōl-.

fole (Middle English): A fool, idiot, or moron; somebody who is stupid...

Definitions

  1. A fool, idiot, or moron; somebody who is stupid...

Ancestry of “fole”, step by step

fole traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old French fol

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchfolmad; insane; foolish; silly
2Latinfollisbellows; purse, sack, money bag; a small value...
3Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰelǵʰ-to swell
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰel-to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰōl-—

via Old English fola

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishfolafoal, colt
2Proto-West Germanicfolōfoal
3Proto-Germanicfulôfoal
4Proto-Indo-European"pl̥Hon-"—
5Proto-Indo-EuropeanpōlH-animal young

Words derived from “fole”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰōl- →
fole — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer