English
follow
Follow comes from Middle English folwen ‘to follow’, and goes back to Proto-Germanic *fulgāną.
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fulgāną‘to follow’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*folgēn‘to follow’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150folgian‘to follow’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500folwen‘to follow’
- Englishearliest quotation 1532follow
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fulgāną‘to follow’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*folgēn‘to follow’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150folgian‘to follow’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500folwen‘to follow’
- Englishearliest quotation 1532follow
Earliest quotation: 1532, Sir Christopher Trychay, The cownte of Willm Scely beyng Wardyng of yᵉ almys: “Where a pon thys for sayd men dyd sett…”
Every English word from Proto-Germanic *fulgāną
Today it means
verb To go after; to pursue; to move behind in the same path or direction, especially with the intent of catching.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Germanic *fulgāną / follow