Where does “feodal” come from?
feodal (Middle French) comes from Old French feodal, from Medieval Latin feodalis, from Latin feodum, from Frankish fehu, from Proto-Germanic fehu, from Proto-Indo-European péḱu, from Proto-Indo-European peḱ- — to pluck; livestock; wealth.
Ancestry of “feodal”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | feodal | feudal |
| 2 | Medieval Latin | feodalis | — |
| 3 | Latin | feodum | Alternative form of feudum |
| 4 | Frankish | fehu | livestock, cattle; cattle, owndom, property, fee;... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | fehu | livestock, cattle; property; name of the F-rune |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | péḱu | livestock |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | peḱ- | to pluck; livestock; wealth |