Etymograph

English

firm

Firm comes from Italian firma ‘signature’, from Latin firmo, from firmus ‘strong’, ultimately from PIE *dʰer-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰer-‘to support’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰermosreconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*θermosreconstructed
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*fermosreconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfirmus‘strong’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfirmo
  7. Italianc. 1300–presentfirmare‘to sign’
  8. Italian, derivedc. 1300–presentfirma‘signature’
  9. Englishearliest quotation 2013firm

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰer-‘to support’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰermosreconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*θermosreconstructed
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*fermosreconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfirmus‘strong’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfirmo
  7. Italianc. 1300–presentfirmare‘to sign’
  8. Italian, derivedc. 1300–presentfirma‘signature’
  9. Englishearliest quotation 2013firm

Earliest quotation: 2013, End of the peer show: “Finance is seldom romantic. But the idea of peer-to-peer…”

The story

The contemporary sense developed in the 18th century simultaneously with German Firma (‘business, name of business’). There are conflicting statements in the literature as to which of the two languages influenced which. Other cognates include Russian держать (deržatʹ, “to hold”).

Linked words

pairs

  • firm and dharma both from Proto-Indo-European *dʰer- ‘to hold’

through Proto-Indo-European *dʰer- ‘to support’

dark, drug, dry, drama, dare, throne, drain, drone, feasible, drastic, refrain, darn, formidable, dazed, dor, dern, 38 more

through Latin firmus ‘stable, firm’

infirmary, 8 more

through Latin firmo

confirmation, affirmative, affirmation, affirming, 3 more

Another origin of firm

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*perkʷ-‘life, force, strength, tree’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*firmō‘means of living, subsistence’reconstructed
  3. Old Englishc. 450–1150feorm‘rent, provision, supplies, feast’
  4. Medieval Latinc. 600–1500ferma‘rent, tax, tribute, farm’
  5. Old Frenchc. 842–1400ferme‘farm’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
  7. Englishtodayfirm

Another origin of firm

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰer-‘to support’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰermosreconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*θermosreconstructed
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*fermosreconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfirmus‘stable, firm’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfirmō
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500fermen‘to make firm’
  8. Englishtodayfirm

Today it means

noun A business partnership; the name under which it trades.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰer- / firm

Shirt and support for this word