Etymograph

English

refurbish

Refurbish comes from Middle French forbir ‘to clean, polish’, and goes back to Frankish *furbēn.

  1. Frankishc. 250–700*furbēn‘to clean, polish’reconstructed
  2. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600forbir‘to clean, polish’
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500furbishen
  4. Englishearliest quotation 2024refurbish

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Lineage

  1. Frankishc. 250–700*furbēn‘to clean, polish’reconstructed
  2. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600forbir‘to clean, polish’
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500furbishen
  4. Englishearliest quotation 2024refurbish

Earliest quotation: 2024, Peter Plisner, Network News: Gibb plans HS2 alternative with 155mph Pendoli: “He also makes the point that in France, SNCF…”

Formed from re- + furbish

Proto-Italic *wre- ‘again’

English re-

Frankish *furbēn ‘to clean, polish’

Old French forbir ‘to clean, polish’

Middle English furbisshen ‘to polish or burnish’

English furbish

Every English word from Frankish *furbēn

Today it means

verb To rebuild or replenish with all new material; to restore to original (or better) working order and appearance.

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

Etymograph / Frankish *furbēn / refurbish

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