English
foot
Foot comes from Middle English fot, from Old English fōt, from Proto-Germanic *fōts, from Proto-Indo-European *pṓds.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pṓds‘foot’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fōts‘foot’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*fōtreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150fōt‘foot’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500fot‘foot’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1597foot
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pṓds‘foot’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fōts‘foot’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*fōtreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150fōt‘foot’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500fot‘foot’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1597foot
Earliest quotation: c. 1597, William Shakespeare, The Merry Wiues of Windsor: “thieves do foot by night”.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ped- ‘to walk, to step’
pilot, expedition, fetch, impeachment, expedite, impediment, ped, fet, fetter, pada, 50 more
through Proto-Indo-European *pṓds
feet, pie, pioneer, pedestrian, pedal, podium, pawn, pew, pedigree, impede, pug, pes, baht, centipede, pedicure, petiole, peon, pedometer, puy, pedicel, pedicle, poy, tripos, biped, quadruped, 37 more
Today it means
noun A biological structure found in many animals that is used for locomotion and that is frequently a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *pṓds / foot