English
make fun of
Make fun of comes from Middle English fon ‘foolish, simple, silly’.
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500fon‘foolish, simple, silly’
- Englishtodaymake fun of
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history not traced here.
Lineage
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500fon‘foolish, simple, silly’
- Englishtodaymake fun of
The story
Recorded 1737. Preserves the older meaning of fun, from Middle English fon, fonne (‘foolish, simple, silly’).
Every English word from Middle English fon
Today it means
verb To tease, ridicule or make jokes about, generally in a pejorative manner.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Middle English fon / make fun of