Etymograph

English

fault

Fault comes from Middle English faute, from Anglo-Norman faute, from Vulgar Latin *fallita ‘shortcoming’, formed in place of falsus, from fallō ‘to deceive’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfallō1‘to deceive’
  2. Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*fallita1‘shortcoming’reconstructedperfect passive participle of fallō
  3. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400faute1
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500faute1
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1593fault1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English fault
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1593, William Shakespeare, Venus and Adonis: “Ceasing their clamorous cry till they have singled, /…”.

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfallōWiktionary, English fault‘to deceive’
  2. Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*fallitaWiktionary, English fault‘shortcoming’reconstructedperfect passive participle of fallō
  3. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400fauteWiktionary, English fault
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500fauteWiktionary, English fault
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1593faultWiktionary, English fault. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1593, William Shakespeare, Venus and Adonis: “Ceasing their clamorous cry till they have singled, /…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *(s)gʷʰh₂el- ‘to stumble’

asphalt, 6 more

through Proto-Italic *falsō

fail, 6 more

through Latin fallō ‘deceive’

failure, falsely, fallacy, falsetto, fallacious, fallible, 6 more

through Latin falsus ‘deceived, tricked, cheated, disappointed,…’

false, faux, falsify, falsity, 3 more

Today it means

noun Culpability; the responsibility for a blameworthy event.

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

Etymograph / Latin fallō / fault

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