Etymograph

English

fjord

Fjord comes from Old Norse fjǫrðr ‘firth, fjord’, from Proto-Indo-European *pértus ‘crossing’, and ultimately from *per- ‘to carry forth’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-‘to carry forth’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*pértus‘crossing’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*ferþuz‘inlet, fjord’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Norsec. 200–800 CEferþuʀtransliteratedrunes *ᚠᛖᚱᚦᚢᛉreconstructed
  5. Old Norsec. 800–1350fjǫrðr‘firth, fjord’
  6. Norwegianmodernfjord
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1839same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-‘to carry forth’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*pértus‘crossing’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*ferþuz‘inlet, fjord’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Norsec. 200–800 CEferþuʀtransliteratedrunes *ᚠᛖᚱᚦᚢᛉreconstructed
  5. Old Norsec. 800–1350fjǫrðr‘firth, fjord’
  6. Norwegianmodernfjord
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1839same form

Earliest quotation: 1839, T. D. Whatley, Section II. Norway.: “About 20 English miles beyond this river, which is…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *per- ‘to carry forth’

first, before, far, per, further, support, price, private, press, practice, report, fear, pre, primary, prime, appreciate, prize, pregnant, prior, practical, transport, sport, importance, precious, praise, interpretation, privilege, parade, par, forth, afford, ferry, export, pirate, fare, import, primitive, prix, portable, portal, 154 more

through Proto-Indo-European *pértus ‘crossing’

opportunity, port, ford, firth, 11 more

Today it means

noun A long, narrow, deep inlet between cliffs.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *per- / fjord

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