affy

affy · verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*bʰeydʰ-“to convince; to trust”
2. Latin · derived fromfidēre
3. Vulgar Latin · derived from*fīdāre“to trust”
4. Latin · derived fromaf-
5. Late Latin · derived fromaffidare“to betroth; to pledge faith”
6. Old French · derived fromafier“to agree to marry; to believe, trust; to assure, promise; to confide in; to pledge, swear”
7. Middle French · derived fromafier
8. Anglo-Norman · derived fromafier
9. Middle English · inherited fromaffien“to have faith, trust”
10. English todayaffy

From Middle English affien (“to have faith, trust”), from Anglo-Norman afier, affier, affyer, Middle French afier, affier, affyer, and Old French afier (“to agree to marry; to believe, trust; to assure, promise; to confide in; to pledge, swear”), from Late Latin affidare (“to betroth; to pledge faith”), from Latin af- (a variant of ad- (intensifying prefix)) + Vulgar Latin *fīdāre (“to trust”) (from Latin fidēre, the present active infinitive of fīdō (“to put confidence in, trust; to rely upon”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeydʰ- (“to convince; to trust”)).

affy · noun²

Shortening of affidavit.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• c. 16th–17th c. Chiefly of a man: to formally promise to marry (someone, chiefly a woman); to be engaged to; also, to marry (someone); to espouse.
• 14th–17th c. Chiefly followed by in, on, and upon: to rely on, to trust.