English
fab
Fab comes from Latin fābulōsus ‘fabled, fabulous, legendary’, from fābula ‘discourse, narrative’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- ‘to speak’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰeh₂-‘to speak’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰéh₂ti‘to speak, to be talking’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*fāōr‘to speak’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfor
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfābula‘discourse, narrative’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfābulōsus‘fabled, fabulous, legendary’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500fabulous
- English1500–presentfabulous
- Englishtodayfab
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰeh₂-‘to speak’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰéh₂ti‘to speak, to be talking’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*fāōr‘to speak’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfor
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfābula‘discourse, narrative’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfābulōsus‘fabled, fabulous, legendary’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500fabulous
- English1500–presentfabulous
- Englishtodayfab
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- ‘to speak’
phone, focus, professor, fuel, ben, phase, ban, famous, favourite, photographer, fantasy, emphasis, favor, phenomenon, profession, bee, fancy, confession, fate, fame, confess, phantom, symphony, beacon, abandon, beck, fatal, fairy, infant, boon, bane, epiphany, foyer, banish, buoy, profess, bene, banal, nefarious, phenomenology, 122 more
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰéh₂ti ‘to speak, to be talking’
through Latin for
eff, affable, ineffable, 12 more
through Latin fābula ‘discourse, narrative’
through Middle English fabulous
Today it means
adj Fabulous (great or spectacular).
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.