English
fart
Fart comes from Old English *feortan ‘to fart’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *perd-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*perd-‘to fart loudly, pass gas, break wind’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fertaną‘to break wind, fart’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*fertanreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150*feortan‘to fart’reconstructed
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500ferten
- Englishearliest quotation 1603fart
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*perd-‘to fart loudly, pass gas, break wind’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fertaną‘to break wind, fart’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*fertanreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150*feortan‘to fart’reconstructed
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500ferten
- Englishearliest quotation 1603fart
Earliest quotation: 1603, Michel de Montaigne, The Essayes […]: “Metrocles somewhat indiscreetly, as he was disputing in his…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *perd- ‘to fart loudly, pass gas, break wind’
Today it means
verb To emit digestive gases from the anus; to flatulate.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *perd- / fart