English
Fischer
Fischer comes from German Fischer ‘fisherman’, from Proto-Germanic *fiskaz ‘fish’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *peyḱ- ‘to paint, mark’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*peyḱ-‘to paint, mark’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*pisk-ó-s‘fish’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fiskaz‘fish’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fiskārijaz‘fisher, fisherman’reconstructed
- Old High Germanc. 750–1050fiscari
- Middle High Germanc. 1050–1350vischære
- Germanc. 1650–presentFischer‘fisherman’
- Englishearliest quotation 2008same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*peyḱ-‘to paint, mark’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*pisk-ó-s‘fish’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fiskaz‘fish’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fiskārijaz‘fisher, fisherman’reconstructed
- Old High Germanc. 750–1050fiscari
- Middle High Germanc. 1050–1350vischære
- Germanc. 1650–presentFischer‘fisherman’
- Englishearliest quotation 2008same form
Earliest quotation: 2008, Bruce Barcott, The Higher They Climb: “An athletic kid from New Jersey, Fischer was known…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *peyḱ- ‘to paint, mark’
picture, paint, file, pint, feud, depiction, depict, pigment, pictorial, pimento, piscina, 25 more
through Proto-Indo-European *pisk-ó-s ‘fish’
through Proto-Germanic *fiskaz ‘fish’
Today it means
name A surname from German [in turn originating as an occupation], equivalent to English Fisher.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *peyḱ- / Fischer