English
parfait
Parfait comes from French parfaire ‘perfect’, from faire ‘to do’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁k-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰh₁kyétireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*θakjōreconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*fakjō‘to make’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfacioas facere‘to make, construct, fashion, frame, build, erect’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400faire‘to do’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600same form‘to do’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form‘to do’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentparfaireas parfait‘perfect’
- Englishearliest quotation 2004parfait
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁k-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰh₁kyétireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*θakjōreconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*fakjō‘to make’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfacioas facere‘to make, construct, fashion, frame, build, erect’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400faire‘to do’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600same form‘to do’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form‘to do’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentparfaireas parfait‘perfect’
- Englishearliest quotation 2004parfait
Earliest quotation: 2004, Alan Hollinghurst, The Line of Beauty […]: “Brad hesitated, peering at the grid of spun sugar…”
Linked words
through Proto-Italic *θakjō
effectively, effectiveness, ineffective, affectionate, imperfection, putrefaction, 63 more
through Proto-Italic *fakjō ‘to make’
effective, factor, difficulty, affection, manufacture, perfection, interface, faction, imperfect, affective, facet, defection, defector, effector, affectation, deface, confectionary, 69 more
through Latin facio ‘to make, construct, fashion, frame, build, erect’
face, fact, difficult, effect, perfect, feature, affect, profit, efficient, infection, sacrifice, facility, faculty, feat, facial, deficit, defect, efficacy, facilitate, fetish, superficial, infect, deficient, facade, counterfeit, facsimile, hacienda, maleficent, façade, aficionado, efficacious, beautify, confection, difficile, refectory, facies, beneficent, confit, 86 more
through Old French faire ‘to do’
Today it means
noun A French parfait (parfait glacé), an iced dessert made with egg yolks, sugar, cream, and flavouring (usually fruit), sometimes with the addition of a liqueur.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k- / parfait