Where does “fermer” come from?

fermer (Scots) comes from Middle English fermour, from Old French fermier, from Medieval Latin firmarius, from Latin Firma, from Latin Firmus, from Proto-Italic fermos, from Proto-Indo-European dʰer-mo-s, from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- — to support; to hold.

fermer (Scots): farmer

Definitions

  1. farmer

Ancestry of “fermer”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishfermoura steward, bailliff, collector of taxes
2Old Frenchfermiera farmer, a lessee, husbandman, bailliff
3Medieval Latinfirmariusone to whom land is rented, a collector of taxes,...
4LatinFirmatax, tribute
5LatinFirmusstrong, powerful
6Proto-Italicfermos
7Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-mo-sholding
8Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-to support; to hold
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰer-Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰer-mo-sEvery word from Proto-Italic fermos