Etymology Explorer › Norwegian Nynorsk

Where does “fire” come from?

fire (Norwegian Nynorsk) comes from Danish fire, from Middle Low German fīren, from French virer, from Vulgar Latin viro, from Latin vibro, from Proto-Italic wibrāō, from Proto-Italic wibros, from Proto-Indo-European weyb- — to oscillate; swing; rotate, move.

fire (Norwegian Nynorsk): four; to slacken, ease; to lower

Definitions

  1. four; to slacken, ease; to lower

Ancestry of “fire”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishfirefour; to lower something fixed to a rope or...
2Middle Low Germanfīren—
3Frenchvirerto bear, veer; to turn into, become; to transfer
4Vulgar Latinviro—
5LatinvibroI shake, agitate, brandish; I launch, hurl; I...
6Proto-Italicwibrāō—
7Proto-Italicwibros—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanweyb-to oscillate; swing; rotate, move

Words derived from “fire”

  • fireåring
  • firkløver
  • firedel
  • firkant
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyb- →