MarcusBennevall/EtymologyTaggerDataset huggingface dataset:
dogmatism
From French dogmatisme, from Ecclesiastical Latin dogmatismus. Derived from Latin dogma (“philosophical tenet”), from Ancient Greek δόγμα (dógma, “opinion, tenet”), from δοκέω (dokéō, “to seem good, think”). Treated in the 17th and 18th century as Greek, with plural dogmata.
dolly
Disputed. Most scholars derive the term from doll + -y, as Etymology 1, above. Linguist Ian Hancock, however, suggests derivation from Italian dolce (“sweet”).
From Hindi डाली (ḍālī).
domination
From Middle English domynacion, from Old French dominacion, from Latin dominātiō (“rule, dominion”), from dominor (“domineer; rule”); see dominate.
douceur
Borrowed from French douceur (“sweetness”), from Old French dolçor, dulcur, etc., from Latin dulcōr + -em, from dulcis (“sweet”). Naturalized in Middle English as douceoure, dousour but treated as a French loanword from the 17th century onward. Doublet of dulcour.
douse
Probably of North Germanic origin, related to Swedish dunsa (“to plumb down, fall clumsily”), Danish dunse (“to thump”). Compare Old English dwǣsċan (“to extinguish”) and douse below.
From Middle English duschen, dusshen (“to rush, fall”), related to Norwegian dusa (“to break, cast down from”), Old Dutch doesen (“to beat, strike”), dialectal German tusen, dusen (“to strike, run against, collide”), Saterland Frisian dössen (“to strike”). Compare doss, dust.
dowel
From Middle English dowle, dule, of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Old French doelle (“the hollow part of a tool where the handle is”), from Frankish *duli (“hollow tube, pipe”), from Proto-Germanic *dulją (“pipe”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰel- (“curvature, hollow”). If so, then cognate with French douelle, douille.
Alternatively from Middle Low German dövel (“peg, plug”), from Old Saxon *dubil, from Proto-Germanic *dubilaz. If so, then cognate with Dutch deuvel (“wooden peg”), German Dübel (“dowel”).
drab
Probably from Middle French and Old French drap (“cloth”), either:
* from Late Latin drappus (“drabcloth, kerchief; piece of cloth”), most likely from Gaulish *drappo, from Proto-Indo-European *drep- (“to scratch, tear”); or
* from Frankish *drapi, *drāpi (“that which is fulled, drabcloth”), from Proto-Germanic *drap-, *drēp- (“something beaten”), from *drepaną (“to beat, strike”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰrebʰ- (“to beat, crush; to make or become thick”).
The English word is cognate with Ancient Greek δρέπω (drépō, “to pluck”), Avestan 𐬛𐬭𐬀𐬟𐬱𐬀 (drafša, “banner, flag”), Lithuanian drãpanos (“household linens”), Old Norse trefja (“to rub, wear out”), trof (“fringes”), Sanskrit द्रापि (drāpi, “mantle, gown”), Serbo-Croatian drápati (“to scratch, scrape”)).
drape
From Middle English drape (“a drape”, noun), from Old French draper (“to drape; to full cloth”), from drap (“cloth, drabcloth”), from Late Latin drappus, drapus (“drabcloth, kerchief”), a word first recorded in the Capitularies of Charlemagne, probably from Frankish *drapi, *drāpi (“that which is fulled, drabcloth”, literally “that which is struck or for striking”), from Proto-Germanic *drapiz (“a strike, hit, blow”) and Proto-Germanic *drēpiz (“intended for striking, to be beaten”), both from *drepaną (“to beat, strike”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰreb- (“to beat, crush, make or become thick”). Cognate with English drub (“to beat”), North Frisian dreep (“a blow”), Low German drapen, dräpen (“to strike”), German treffen (“to meet”), Swedish dräpa (“to slay”). More at drub.
draper
From Middle English draper, from Anglo-Norman draper, from Old French drapier, from drap + -ier.
dredge
From Scots dreg-boat, dreg-bot (from Old English *dreċġ); or alternatively from Middle Dutch dregghe (“drag-net”), probably ultimately from the same root as drag.
From Middle English dragge, from Old French dragee, dragie, from Latin tragēmata, from Ancient Greek τραγήματα (tragḗmata, “spices”), plural of τράγημα (trágēma, “dried fruit”).
drift
From Middle English drift, dryft (“act of driving, drove, shower of rain or snow, impulse”), from Old English *drift (“drift”), from Proto-Germanic *driftiz (“drift”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰreybʰ- (“to drive, push”). Equivalent to drive + -t; cognate with North Frisian drift (“drift”), Saterland Frisian Drift (“current, flow, stream, drift”), Dutch drift (“drift, passion, urge”), German Drift (“drift”) and Trift (“drove, pasture”), Danish drift (“impulse, instinct”), Swedish drift (“impulse, instinct”), Icelandic drift (“drift, snow-drift”).
drown
From Middle English drownen, drounen, drunen (“to drown”), of obscure and uncertain origin.
The OED suggests an unattested Old English form *drūnian. Harper 2001 points to Old English druncnian, ġedruncnian (> Middle English drunknen, dronknen (“to drown”)), "probably influenced" by Old Norse drukkna (cf. Icelandic drukkna, Danish drukne (“to drown”)). Funk & Wagnall's has 'of uncertain origin'. It has been theorised (see e.g. ODS) that it may represent a direct loan of Old Norse drukkna, but this is described by the OED as being "on phonetic and other grounds [...] highly improbable", unless one considers the possibility of an unattested variant in Old Norse *drunkna.
drowsy
From drowse + -y, despite the fact that drowsy (1520) is recorded before drowse (1570). Compare Old English drūsian (“to droop, drowse, become languid”).
duplication
From Middle English duplicacioun, from Middle French duplication, from Late Latin duplicātiō, duplicātiōnem, from Latin duplicō. Morphologically duplicate + -ion.
eager
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ-
Proto-Indo-European *-rós
Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱrós
Proto-Italic *akris
Classical Latin ācer
Late Latin ācrus
Old French aigrebor.
Middle English egre
English eager
Inherited from Middle English egre, eger, from Old French aigre, egre (modern French aigre), from Latin ācrus, variant of ācer (“sharp, keen”); see acid, acerb, etc. Compare vinegar, alegar.
earnest
From Middle English ernest, eornest, from Old English eornest, eornost, eornust (“earnestness, zeal, seriousness, battle”), from Proto-Germanic *ernustuz (“earnest, strength, solidity, struggle, fight”), a derivative of Proto-Germanic *arniz (“efficient, capable, diligent, sure”), from Proto-Indo-European *er- (“to cause to move, arouse, increase”).
Cognate with West Frisian earnst (“earnest, seriousness”), Dutch ernst (“seriousness, gravity, earnest”), German Ernst (“seriousness, earnestness, zeal, vigour”), Icelandic ern (“brisk, vigorous”), Gothic 𐌰𐍂𐌽𐌹𐌱𐌰 (arniba, “secure, certain, sure”).
The adjective is from Middle English eornest, from Old English eornoste (“earnest, zealous, serious”), from the noun. Cognate with North Frisian ernste (“earnest”), Middle Low German ernest, ernst (“serious, earnest”), German ernst (“serious, earnest”).
elation
From Middle English elacioun, from Old French elacion, from Latin ēlātiōnem, accusative singular of ēlātiō (“exaltation, elevation; pride, elation”), from ēlātus, perfect passive participle of efferō (“bring forth or out; raise; exalt”), from ē (“out of”), short form of ex, + ferō (“carry, bear”).
eleemosynary
From Medieval Latin eleēmosynārius (“alms dispenser”), from Late Latin eleēmosyna (“alms”), from Ancient Greek ἐλεημοσύνη (eleēmosúnē, “alms”), from ἐλεήμων (eleḗmōn, “merciful”) + -σῠ́νη (-sŭ́nē, “suffix denoting an abstract noun”). Compare Italian elemosina.
elite
From Middle English elit, from Old French elit, eslit (“chosen, elected”) past participle of elire, eslire (“to choose, elect”), from Latin eligere (“to choose, elect”), with past participle electus; see elect.
elsewhere
From Middle English elswher, from Old English elles hwǣr and elles hwerġen (“elsewhere”); corresponding with else + where. Cognate with Old High German alleswār (“elsewhere”), whence Middle High German alleswā, alswā (“elsewhere”).
emancipate
Learned borrowing from Latin ēmancipātus (“liberated, emancipated”) + English -ate (suffix forming verbs, and adjectives with the sense ‘characterized by the specified thing’). Ēmancipātus is the perfect passive participle of ēmancipō (“to declare (someone) free and independent of another’s power, emancipate; to give (something) from one’s authority or power into that of another, to alienate, transfer; to cause (oneself or someone) to become another’s slave; to make (someone) subservient”), from ē- (a variant of ex- (prefix meaning ‘away; out’)) + mancipō (“to sell; to transfer”) (from manceps (“owner, possessor; purchaser; etc.”) + -ō (suffix forming infinitives of first-conjugation verbs)).
The verb emancipate has verb sense 1.1 (“to set free”) and verb sense 1.3 (“(obsolete) to place under one’s control”) which are contradictory. The Latin word ēmancipō had the same senses, and the Oxford English Dictionary notes that according to the Latin grammarian Paulus Festus (fl. 8th century) this is because both actions were effected by the legal process of mancipation.
emancipation
1630, from French émancipation, from Latin ēmancipātiō. In the US, with reference to anti-slavery, abolitionism, first used in 1785 by Charles Godfrey Leland. In Britain, with reference to easing of restrictions on Catholics, in 19th century.
embargo
From Spanish embargar (“to arrest”), from late Latin *imbarricāre (“to bar”), from Latin in- + Vulgar Latin *barra (“bar, barrier”).
emendation
From Middle English emendatioun, from Latin ēmendātiō; equivalent to emend + -ation. Piecewise doublet of amendation.
emigration
From Late Latin stem of emigratio, from e (“out”) + migrare (“to move, remove, depart”).
eminent
From Middle French éminent, from Latin present participle ēminēns, ēminentis, from verb ēmineō (“to project, protrude”), from ex- (“out of, from”) + mineō, related to mons (English mount). Compare with imminent. Unrelated to emanate, which is instead from mānō (“to flow”).
endow
From Late Middle English endowen, endouen, enduen, indouen, indw (“to provide with assets, a livelihood, or privileges; to bestow, grant; (figuratively) to favour; to endow”), from Anglo-Norman endouer, from Old French en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’) + douer (“to endow”) (from Latin dōtāre (present active infinitive of dōtō (“to endow”)); modern French douer). Dōtō is derived from dōs (“dowry; endowment, gift”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *deh₃- (“to give”)) + -ō (suffix forming regular first-conjugation verbs).
enigmatic
From Latin aenigmaticus and French énigmatique, from Ancient Greek αἰνιγματικός (ainigmatikós); equivalent to enigma + -tic.
enlighten
Formerly also inlighten, from Middle English enlightenen, inlightnen, a hybrid formed from inlighten (“to enlighten, illuminate”), from Old English inlīhtan, onlīhtan, enlīhtan (“to enlighten, illuminate, give light to, give sight to”) and lightnen (“to enlighten, illuminate”) (equivalent to light + -en). Cognate with Dutch inlichten (“to enlighten, inform”), Old High German inliuhten (“to enlighten, illuminate”), Gothic 𐌹𐌽𐌻𐌹𐌿𐌷𐍄𐌾𐌰𐌽 (inliuhtjan, “to enlighten, illuminate”). More at inlight, -en.
enmity
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *né
Proto-Indo-European *n̥-
Proto-Italic *ən-
Latin in-
Proto-Indo-European *h₃emh₃-
Proto-Indo-European *-ti
Proto-Indo-European *h₃émh₃ti
Proto-Italic *amō
Latin amō
Proto-Indo-European *-ikos
Proto-Italic *-ikos
Latin -īcus
Latin amīcus
Latin inimīcus
Vulgar Latin *inimicitas
Old French enemistébor.
Middle English enemyte
English enmity
From Middle English enemyte, from Old French enemisté, ennemistié, from Late Latin, Vulgar Latin *inimīcitās, *inimīcitātem, from Latin inimīcus (“enemy”); cognates: French inimitié, Portuguese inimizade, Spanish enemistad. Equivalent to enemy + -ity.
enrage
From Old French enrager, enragier, from rage. Equivalent to en- + rage.
ensure
From Middle English ensuren, from Anglo-Norman enseurer, from Old French seur (“sure”). Doublet of insure.
enthusiastic
From Ancient Greek ἐνθουσιαστικός (enthousiastikós), from either ἐνθουσιασμός (enthousiasmós) or ἐνθουσιάζω (enthousiázō) + -τικός (-tikós).
entreat
The verb is derived from Late Middle English entreten (“to deal with (someone) in a specified way; to concern oneself with (something); to deal with or give an account of (a topic); to engage in negotiation; to intercede for (someone); to plead with (someone)”), from Anglo-Norman entraiter, entretier (“to concern oneself with (something); to deal with (someone) in a specified manner; to have a conversation with (someone); to negotiate (with someone, or about something)”), Middle French entraiter, entraictier, and Old French entraictier (“to have a conversation with (someone); to concern oneself with (something)”), from en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’) + traiter (“to be concerned with (something); to treat (someone) in a specified way”) (from Latin tractāre, the present active infinitive of tractō (“to handle, manage; to drag, haul”), from trahō (“to drag, pull; etc.”) (see that entry for the further etymology) + -tō (frequentative suffix)).
The noun is derived from Late Middle English entrete (“agreement; negotiation; treatment of a subject in discourse”), from the verb.
enumeration
From Middle French énumeration (French énumération). By surface analysis, enumerate + -ion.
enunciation
From Latin ēnuntiātiō. By surface analysis, enunciate + -ion.
equator
From Late Latin (circulus) aequator (diei et noctis).
equivocation
c. 1380, from Middle English equivocacion, from Old French equivocation, from Medieval Latin aequivocātiō, from aequivocō, from Late Latin aequivocus (“ambiguous, equivocal”), from Latin aequus (“equal”) + vocō (“call”); a calque of Ancient Greek ὁμωνυμία (homōnumía).
eradication
Borrowed from Latin ērādīcātiō, from ērādīcō + -tiō, from ē- (“out”) + rādīx (“root”) + -ō. Equivalent to eradicate + -ion or e- (“without”) + radication.
Erse
From Scots Erse (“Irish”), from earlier Ersche, Ersch, a contraction of Erisch, Erische (“Irish”), from Middle English Erische, Irische, Irisch (“Irish”). Doublet of Irish. Compare also Scots Irisch.
esplanade
1590s, from French esplanade (“clear, level space”), from either Spanish esplanada (explanada), form of esplanar (“to flatten, to make level”) or Italian spianata, form of spianare (of the same meaning), both from Latin explānāre, from which English explain; see also plain (“level area, to flatten”).
espy
From Middle English aspien, espien (“to make covert observations of (a person or place) with hostile intent, to spy on; to seek to discover by spying; to act as a spy; to catch sight of, see; to look over, observe; to wait in ambush, to ambush; to plot against; to look for, seek to find; to inquire or look into, investigate; to discover, find”) [and other forms], from Old French espier (“to watch”) (modern French épier (“to keep an eye on, watch; to spy on; (dated) to watch for”)), from Vulgar Latin *spiāre, from Frankish *spehōn (“to look, peer; to spy”), from Proto-Germanic *spehōną (“to look, peer; to spy”), from Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- (“to look, observe, see”). Doublet of spy.
Cognates
* Ancient Greek σκέπτομαι (sképtomai, “to examine; to look at; to consider, think”)
* Italian spiare
* Latin speciō (“to look at, observe, watch”)
* Old High German spehōn (modern German spähen)
* Occitan espiar
* Spanish espiar
From Middle English aspie, espie (“covert investigation or observation, scouting, spying; information obtained through spying; secret and treacherous plan, plot; treachery; a scout or spy”) [and other forms],
from Anglo-Norman espie, Old French espie, from espier (verb): see further at etymology 1.
Cognates
* Italian spia
* Spanish espia
ethology
From the Latin ēthologia (“the art of depicting or imitating character”), from the Ancient Greek ἠθολογία (ēthología, “painting of character, especially by mimic gestures”), from ἠθολόγος (ēthológos, “painting character by mimic gestures”), from ἦθος (êthos, “character, especially moral character”). Equivalent to etho- + -logy.
etch
From Dutch etsen (“to etch”), from German ätzen (“to etch”), from Old High German azzon (“to cause to bite or feed”), from Proto-Germanic *atjaną, causative of *etaną (“to eat”) (whence also English eat).
etiquette
1740, from French étiquette (“property, a little piece of paper, or a mark or title, affixed to a bag or bundle, expressing its contents, a label, ticket”), from Middle French estiquette (“ticket, memorandum”), from the Old French verb estechier, estichier, estequier (“to attach, stick”), (compare Picard estiquier (“to stick, pierce”)), from Frankish *stekan, *stikkjan (“to stick, pierce, sting”), from Proto-Germanic *stikaną, *stikōną, *staikijaną (“to be sharp, pierce, prick”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- (“to be sharp, to stab”).
Akin to Old High German stehhan (“to stick, attach, nail”) (German stechen (“to stick”)), Old English stician (“to pierce, stab, be fastened”).
The French Court of Louis XIV at Versailles used étiquettes (literally “little cards”) to remind courtiers to keep off of the grass and similar rules. More at stick (verb) and stitch. Doublet of ticket.
evacuate
First attested in 1526; borrowed from Latin ēvacuātus, the perfect passive participle of ēvacuō (“to empty out, evacuate”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix).
evacuation
From Middle English evacuacioun, from Old French evacuation, from Late Latin ēvacuātiō. Equivalent to evacuate + -ion.
evaporation
From French évaporation, from Latin evaporatio. Morphologically evaporate + -ion.
punitive
From Middle French punitif, from Medieval Latin pūnitīvus, from pūniō (“to punish”).
exact
From Latin exāctus (the verb via Middle English exact), perfect passive participle of exigō (“demand, claim as due; measure by a standard, weigh, test”), from ex (“out”) + agō (“drive”).
exaltation
From Middle English exaltacioun, exaltatioun, from Old French exaltacion and Latin exaltātiō (“exaltation, elevation”), from exaltō (“raise, elevate, exalt”), from ex (“from, out of”) + altus (“high”). By surface analysis, exalt + -ation.
excavation
From Latin excavātiō (“a hollowing out”), from excavō (“to hollow out”), from ex + cavō (“to hollow out”), from cavus (“hollow”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱewh₁- (“vault, hole”). Equivalent to excavate + -ion.
exigible
From Middle French exigible, from Late Latin exigibilis, from exigō (“exact, execute”) + -ibilis.
excitation
From Middle English excitacion, excitacioun, from Old French excitation, from Latin excitātiō. Morphologically excite + -ation.
exclamation
Borrowed from Middle French exclamation, from Latin exclāmātiō, from exclāmō (“to cry out”) + -tiō.
excommunication
From Middle English excommunicacion, from Late Latin excommūnicātiō. By surface analysis, excommunicate + -ion. Displaced native Old English āmǣnsumung.
exemplification
From Middle English exemplificacion, exemplification, from Anglo-Norman exemplification, from Medieval Latin exemplificātiō.
exhalation
From Latin exhālātiō, from exhālō (“to breathe out, to exhale”), from hālō (“to breathe”). Equivalent to exhale + -ation.
exhortation
From Middle English exhortacioun, from Old French exhortacion, from Latin exhortātiōnem, accusative singular of exhortātiō (“encouraging; exhortation”), from exhortor (“to encourage, exhort”), from ex (“out of, from”) + hortor (“encourage”). By surface analysis, exhort + -ation.
exoneration
From Latin exonerātiō. By surface analysis, exonerate + -ion.
expatiate
From the participle stem of Latin expatior, from ex- + spatior (“walk about”).
expatriate
The verb is first attested in 1787, the adjective and noun in 1812; borrowed from Medieval Latin expatriātus, perfect passive participle of expatriō (“to banish”) (see -ate (etymology 1,2 and 3)), from Latin ex- (“out of”) + patria (“native land”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix); possibly after French expatrier and expatrié.
expectation
From Middle French expectation, from Latin exspectātiō, from exspectō (“expect”). By surface analysis, expect + -ation. Displaced native Old English wēn.
expiration
From Middle English expiracioun, exspiracioun (“vapor, breath”), from Latin expīrātiōnem, exspīrātiōnem, accusative singular of expīrātiō, exspīrātiō. By surface analysis, expire + -ation.
explication
Borrowed from Middle French explication, from Latin explicātiō, explicātiōnem.
exploitation
Borrowed from French exploitation, from exploiter (“exploit”), from Latin explicō (“unfold, deploy”). By surface analysis, exploit + -ation.
exploration
From Middle French exploration, from Latin exploratio. Morphologically explore + -ation.
expound
From Middle English expounden, from Old French espondre, from Latin exponere. Doublet of expone and expose.
extension
From Middle English extensioun, from Old French estension, from Latin extensiō, extensiōnem.
extenuation
An adaptation of extenuātiōn-, the oblique stem of the Latin extenuātiō (“a thinning or diminishing”, “rarefaction”; rhetoric “a lessening”, “diminution”, “extenuation”), noun of action from extenuō (“to thin, reduce, or diminish”). Equivalent to extenuate + -ion. Compare the French exténuation.
extermination
Borrowed from Middle French extermination, itself a learned borrowing from Ecclesiastical Latin exterminātiō.
extract
Borrowed from Latin extractum, neuter perfect passive participle of extrahō, from ex- (“out of”) + trahō (“to drag”).
extraneous
From Latin extrāneus (“from without, strange”). Doublet of strange. Cognate with estrange (verb), Spanish extraño.
exultation
From Middle English exultacion, from Old French exultacion, from Latin exsultātiō, exsultātiōnem.
eyot
From Middle English eyt, eit, from Old English īġeoþ, īgoþ, iggaþ, iggoþ (“ait, eyot, islet, small island”), diminutive of īġ, ēġ, īeġ (“island”) (whence English ey (“island”)) which also constitutes the first element of island. See also ait and Norwegian Bokmål øy.
fabrication
From Middle French fabrication, from Latin fabricatio. Equivalent to fabricate + -ion.
fain
From Middle English fain (“enjoyable, pleasing; fond of; glad, pleased; good, suitable; happy, joyful”), from Old English fægen (“happy, joyful, fain”), from Proto-West Germanic *fagan (“glad”), from Proto-Germanic *faganaz (“glad”), from Proto-Indo-European *peḱ- (“joyful; pretty”).
Cognates
* Old Norse fagna (“to rejoice”), feginn (“glad, joyful”)
* Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌲𐌹𐌽𐍉𐌽 (faginōn, “to rejoice”)
* Old High German fehan, gifehan (“to rejoice”)
* Old Saxon fagan, fagin
From Middle English fain (“eagerly, willingly; gladly, joyfully”), from fain (adjective): see etymology 1.
From Middle English fainen (“to be glad or joyful, rejoice; to make happy, gladden; to welcome; of an animal: to show happiness, as by wagging the tail; to act fawningly or flatteringly”), from Old English fæġnian (“to be glad, rejoice; to celebrate; to be delighted with, applaud; to wish for”), from Proto-West Germanic *faginōn (“to be glad, rejoice; to make glad, gladden”), from Proto-Germanic *faginōną (“to be glad, rejoice”), from *faganaz (“glad”): see further at etymology 1. Doublet of fawn.
* As a Jewish surname, variant of Fein.
* As an English surname, variant of Fayne.
* As a French surname, from placenames deriving from Latin fanum (“temple”) and Vulgar Latin *fangus (“mud, swamp”).
faint
From Middle English faynt, feynt (“weak; feeble”), from Old French faint, feint (“feigned; negligent; sluggish”), past participle of feindre, faindre (“to feign; sham; work negligently”), from Latin fingere (“to touch, handle, form, shape, frame, form in thought, imagine, conceive, contrive, devise, feign”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeyǵʰ- (“to mold”). Cognate with feign and fiction and more distantly dough.
From Middle English fainten, feynten, from the adjective (see above).
fairly
From Middle English fayrly, fayrely, vayrliche, equivalent to fair + -ly.
fake
The origin is not known with certainty, although first attested in 1775 C.E. in British criminals' slang. It is probably from feak, feague (“to give a better appearance through artificial means, spruce up, embellish”), itself from German Low German fegen, from Middle Low German vēgen, from Old Saxon fegōn, from Proto-West Germanic *fegōn (“to clean up, polish”).
Akin to Dutch veeg (“a swipe”), Dutch vegen (“to sweep, wipe”); German fegen (“to sweep, to polish”). Compare also Old English fācn (“deceit, fraud”). Perhaps related also to Old Norse fjúka (“to fade, vanquish, disappear”), Old Norse feikn (“strange, scary, unnatural”).
From Middle English faken (“to coil a rope”).