Etymograph

English

far

Far comes from Old English feor, from Proto-Germanic *ferrai, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *per- ‘to cross, pass’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-‘to cross, pass’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-nóyreconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*ferraireconstructed
  4. Old Englishc. 450–1150feor
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500ferre
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1611far

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-‘to cross, pass’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-nóyreconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*ferraireconstructed
  4. Old Englishc. 450–1150feor
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500ferre
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1611far

Earliest quotation: 1611, The Holy Bible, London: […] Robert Barker: “And they went to Ioshua vnto the campe at…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *per- ‘to cross, pass’

first, before, support, per, report, further, price, private, press, practice, opportunity, pre, prior, prime, appreciate, port, prize, primary, afford, pregnant, ford, practical, fear, forth, precious, praise, interpretation, privilege, ferry, pirate, porch, parade, primitive, prix, par, interpreter, pragmatic, pardon, privy, prism, 157 more

through Proto-Germanic *ferrai

afar, 1 more

Another origin of far

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰers-‘spike, prickle’uncertain
  2. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*fars‘flour, grain’reconstructed
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfar‘farro, a type of hulled wheat.’
  4. Englishtodayfar

Today it means

adj Distant; remote in space.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *per- / far

Shirt and support for this word