English
fike
Fike comes from Middle English fiken ‘to feign, dissemble, flatter’, from Proto-Germanic *fikōną ‘to deceive’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *peyǵ- ‘ill-meaning, evil-minded, treacherous,…’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*peyǵ-‘ill-meaning, evil-minded, treacherous, hostile, bad’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fikōną‘to deceive’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*fikōnreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150fician‘to wheedle, flatter’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500fiken‘to feign, dissemble, flatter’
- Englishtodayfike
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*peyǵ-‘ill-meaning, evil-minded, treacherous, hostile, bad’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fikōną‘to deceive’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*fikōnreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150fician‘to wheedle, flatter’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500fiken‘to feign, dissemble, flatter’
- Englishtodayfike
Linked words
through Old English fician ‘to wheedle, flatter’
Another origin of fike
- Old Norsec. 800–1350fíkjast‘to be eager or restless’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500fiken
- Englishtodayfike
Another origin of fike
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfīcus‘fig tree’
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fīkazreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150fīc‘fig, fig-tree, fig-disease, venereal ulcer, hemorrhoids’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500fike
- Englishtodaysame form
Today it means
verb To feign; dissemble; flatter.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *peyǵ- / fike