Where does “fiance” come from?

fiance (Old French) comes from Latin Fidentia, from Latin fīdēns, from Latin fīdō, from Proto-Italic feiðō, from Proto-Indo-European bʰéydʰeti, from Proto-Indo-European bʰeydʰ- — to compel, force; to trust.

fiance (Old French): faith; confidence

Definitions

  1. faith; confidence

Ancestry of “fiance”, step by step

fiance traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Latin Fidentia

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1LatinFidentiasituated between Parma and Placentia, now Fidenza
2Latinfīdēnstrusting
3Latinfīdōto trust, put confidence in
4Proto-Italicfeiðōto trust
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰéydʰetito trust
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeydʰ-to compel, force; to trust

via Old French fier

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchfierto trust
2Vulgar Latinfidare—
3Latinfīdere—

Words derived from “fiance”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰeydʰ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰéydʰeti →Every word from Proto-Italic feiðō →