English
fur
Fur comes from Anglo-Norman forre ‘case’, from Proto-Germanic *fōdrą ‘sheath’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂- ‘to protect, to ward’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*peh₂-‘to protect, to ward’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fōdrą‘sheath’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*fōdrreconstructed
- Frankishc. 250–700*fōdarreconstructed
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400forre‘case’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500furre
- Englishearliest quotation 2006fur
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*peh₂-‘to protect, to ward’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fōdrą‘sheath’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*fōdrreconstructed
- Frankishc. 250–700*fōdarreconstructed
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400forre‘case’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500furre
- Englishearliest quotation 2006fur
Earliest quotation: 2006, Shari Caudron: “You want to know what brings furries together?" she…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *peh₂- ‘to protect, to ward’
company, food, father, pain, feed, pattern, pope, foster, apparent, companion, pastor, papa, patron, patriot, penetration, perpetrator, fad, paternal, paternity, accompaniment, padre, pasture, ayr, panini, patrician, pater, patrimony, perpetrate, pav, père, compere, pantaloons, pannier, 60 more
through Proto-West Germanic *fōdr
through Frankish *fōdar
Today it means
noun The hairy coat of various mammal species, especially when fine, soft and thick.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *peh₂- / fur