English
fervent
Fervent comes from Latin fervēns ‘burning, fiery’, from ferveō ‘to burn’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰrewh₁- ‘to boil’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰrewh₁-‘to boil’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*ferwejōreconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*ferweōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEferveō‘to burn’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfervēns‘burning, fiery’present active participle of ferveō
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEferventem
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400fervent
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘fervent (very hot)’
- Englishearliest quotation 1526same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰrewh₁-‘to boil’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*ferwejōreconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*ferweōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEferveō‘to burn’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfervēns‘burning, fiery’present active participle of ferveō
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEferventem
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400fervent
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘fervent (very hot)’
- Englishearliest quotation 1526same form
Earliest quotation: 1526, [William Tyndale, The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible): “Butt above all thyngꝭ [thynges, i.e., things] have fervent…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰrewh₁- ‘to boil’
brand, burn, bread, purple, brew, bourbon, broth, bourne, brim, brunt, broil, bren, porphyry, briny, purpura, 40 more
through Latin ferveō ‘to burn’
Today it means
adj Very hot; burning, scorching; also, glowing with heat.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *bʰrewh₁- / fervent