Where does “fretter” come from?
fretter (Old French) comes from Old French fret, from Middle Dutch vrecht, from Old Dutch frēht, from Proto-Germanic fra-, from Proto-Indo-European pro-, from Proto-Indo-European por-, from Proto-Indo-European per-, from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós — passed , crossed.
fretter (Old French): to fret
Ancestry of “fretter”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old French | fret | charge; past participle of fraindre |
| 2 | Middle Dutch | vrecht | Alternative form of vracht; cost of transport |
| 3 | Old Dutch | frēht | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | fra- | off, away; completely, fully, up |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |