Etymograph

English

frown

Frown comes from Middle English frown.

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500frown
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1860same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500frown
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1860same form

Earliest quotation: 1860, George Eliot, V: Maggie's Second Visit: “Philip had once told him of a man who…”

Every English word from Middle English frown

Another origin of frown

  1. Old Frenchc. 842–1400froignierdisputed
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500frounen‘to frown as an expression of disapproval, displeasure, shame, fear, or jealousy’uncertain
  3. Englishtodayfrown

From Middle English frounen (‘to frown as an expression of disapproval, displeasure, shame, fear, or jealousy’), from Old French froignier, froingnier, frognier (‘to wrinkle the mouth or forehead, frown, scowl’), of uncertain and disputed origin.disputed Scholars disagree here; the competing view is quoted as the source gives it. Perhaps from Medieval Latin fruncāre (‘to wrinkle, crease, turn up one's nose, make a face, frown’) (compare Old High German fruncetura (‘wrinkle’), via Latin), from Frankish *hrunkwittjā (‘wrinkle’)/*hrunkwōn (‘to wrinkle’), whence Old High German runza (‘wrinkle’). Still yet, perhaps of North Germanic origin, related to Swedish fryna (‘to frown, frown with one's nose, make a wry face’), Norwegian frøyna (‘to wrinkle up one's nose, make a wry face; snort’).

Today it means

noun A wrinkling of the forehead with the eyebrows brought together, typically indicating displeasure, severity, or concentration.

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

Etymograph / Middle English frown / frown

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