English
foe
Foe comes from Old English ġefāh ‘enemy’, from fāh ‘hostile’, and ultimately from Proto-Germanic *faihaz.
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*faihazreconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*faihreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150fāh‘hostile’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150ġefāh‘enemy’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500ifa
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500fo
- Englishearliest quotation 1611foe
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*faihazreconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*faihreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150fāh‘hostile’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150ġefāh‘enemy’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500ifa
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500fo
- Englishearliest quotation 1611foe
Earliest quotation: 1611, The Holy Bible, London: […] Robert Barker: “And a mans foes ſhalbe they of his owne…”
Linked words
through Proto-West Germanic *faih
Today it means
adj Hostile.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Germanic *faihaz / foe