English
fodder
Fodder comes from Old English fōdor ‘feed’, from Proto-Germanic *fōdô ‘food’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂- ‘to guard, graze, feed’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*peh₂-‘to guard, graze, feed’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fōdô‘food’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fōdrąreconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*fōdrreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150fōdor‘feed’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500fodder
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1590–1591same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*peh₂-‘to guard, graze, feed’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fōdô‘food’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fōdrąreconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*fōdrreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150fōdor‘feed’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500fodder
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1590–1591same form
Earliest quotation: c. 1590–1591, William Shakespeare, The Two Gentlemen of Verona: “The sheep for fodder follow the shepherd, the shepherd…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *peh₂- ‘to guard, graze, feed’
company, pain, father, feed, pope, pattern, apparent, companion, pastor, papa, foster, patron, patriot, penetration, pasture, fad, accompaniment, perpetrator, padre, paternal, paternity, ayr, panini, patrician, patrimony, pav, père, perpetrate, pater, pantaloons, compere, pannier, 60 more
through Proto-Germanic *fōdô ‘food’
through Proto-Germanic *fōdrą
through Proto-West Germanic *fōdr
Today it means
noun Food for animals; that which is fed to cattle, horses, and sheep, such as hay, cornstalks, vegetables, etc.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *peh₂- / fodder