English
godfearing
Godfearing may come from Middle English goddfrihti ‘god-fearing’.
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500goddfrihti‘god-fearing’literally ‘god-frighty’uncertain
- Englishtodaygodfearing
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500goddfrihti‘god-fearing’literally ‘god-frighty’uncertain
- Englishtodaygodfearing
A compound of god + fearing
Proto-Germanic *gudą ‘god, deity’
Proto-West Germanic *god ‘god, deity’
Old English god ‘god’
Middle English god
English god
Every English word from Middle English goddfrihti
Today it means
adj Acting with obedience to rules established by a deity out of fear of the power of that deity.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Middle English goddfrihti / godfearing