Etymograph

English

fers

Fers comes from Middle English fers ‘queen (chess piece) or predecessor thereof’, and goes back to Classical Persian فَرْزِین.

  1. Classical Persianc. 900–presentفَرْزِینfarzīn
  2. Medieval Latinc. 600–1500ferzia
  3. Old Frenchc. 842–1400fierce
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500fers‘queen (chess piece) or predecessor thereof’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1898fers

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Lineage

  1. Classical Persianc. 900–presentفَرْزِینfarzīn
  2. Medieval Latinc. 600–1500ferzia
  3. Old Frenchc. 842–1400fierce
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500fers‘queen (chess piece) or predecessor thereof’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1898fers

Earliest quotation: 1898, A. A. McDonald, The Origin and Early History of Chess: “With their introduction the fers and the alfil disappeared…”

Linked words

through Middle English fers ‘queen (chess piece) or predecessor thereof’

fierce, 2 more

Today it means

noun The medieval chess piece that developed into the modern queen.

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

Etymograph / Classical Persian فَرْزِین / fers

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