Where does “frei” come from?
frei (Pennsylvania German) comes from Middle High German vrī, from Old High German frī, from Proto-West Germanic frī, from Proto-Germanic frijaz, from Proto-Indo-European priHós, from Proto-Indo-European preyH- — to love, to please.
frei (Pennsylvania German): free; exempt; clear
Ancestry of “frei”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle High German | vrī | — |
| 2 | Old High German | frī | — |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | frī | free |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | frijaz | free |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | priHós | dear, beloved; happy, free |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | preyH- | to love, to please |