English
fatness
Fatness comes from Old English fǣtnes ‘fatness, the richest part of anything’, from fǣtt ‘fattened’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *poyh₂d-o-s.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*poyh₂d-o-sreconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*faitaz‘fat’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*faitijaną‘to fatten, to make fat, plump up’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*faitijan‘to make fat’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanic, derivedc. 200–500 CE*faitid‘fattened, made fat’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150fǣtt‘fattened’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150fǣtnes‘fatness, the richest part of anything’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500fatnesse
- Englishearliest quotation 1597fatness
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*poyh₂d-o-sreconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*faitaz‘fat’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*faitijaną‘to fatten, to make fat, plump up’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*faitijan‘to make fat’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanic, derivedc. 200–500 CE*faitid‘fattened, made fat’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150fǣtt‘fattened’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150fǣtnes‘fatness, the richest part of anything’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500fatnesse
- Englishearliest quotation 1597fatness
Earliest quotation: 1597, John Gerarde [i.e., Of Panick: “Bread made of Pannick nouriſheth little, and is cold…”
Formed from fat + -ness
Proto-West Germanic *fait
Proto-West Germanic *faitijan ‘to make fat’
Proto-West Germanic *faitid ‘fatted’
Old English fǣtt ‘fatted’
Middle English fat ‘fattened’
English fat
Linked words
through Old English fǣtt ‘fattened’
Today it means
noun The state, quality, or condition of being fat.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *poyh₂d-o-s / fatness