Etymograph

English

filch

Filch comes from Middle English filchen ‘to pilfer, steal’.

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500filchen‘to pilfer, steal’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1592filch

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500filchen‘to pilfer, steal’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1592filch

Earliest quotation: 1592, Thomas Nashe, The Arrainment and Execution of the Third Letter: “You would foiſt in non cauſam pro cauſa ["I…”

The story

The further origin of the word is uncertain, but it is likely from or related to Old English fylċian (‘to marshal troops’) and Old English ġefylċe (‘band of men, army, host’), which would make it also related to folk.uncertain The source flags this step as uncertain.

Every English word from Middle English filchen

Today it means

verb To illegally take possession of (something, especially items of low value); to pilfer, to steal.

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

Etymograph / Middle English filchen / filch

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