Etymology Explorer › Proto-West Germanic

Where does “frī” come from?

frī (Proto-West Germanic) comes from Proto-Germanic frijaz, from Proto-Indo-European priHós, from Proto-Indo-European preyH- — to love, to please.

frī (Proto-West Germanic): free

Definitions

  1. free

Ancestry of “frī”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Germanicfrijazfree
2Proto-Indo-EuropeanpriHósdear, beloved; happy, free
3Proto-Indo-EuropeanpreyH-to love, to please

Words derived from “frī”

  • free
  • freedom
  • Free
  • freer
  • freelance
  • freemen
  • freeway
  • carefree
  • freeman
  • freestanding
  • Freetown
  • filibuster
  • unfree
  • freehand
  • freestyle
  • freestone
  • freewheeling
  • freemasonry
  • freeborn
  • FreeBSD
  • freethinker
  • freethinking
  • freebooter
  • unfreedom
Every word from Proto-Indo-European preyH- →