farmer

The story

1. Old English · inherited fromfeormere“a purveyor of a guild, a supplier of food, a grocer, farmer”
2. Medieval Latin · derived fromfirmarius“one to whom land is rented, a collector of taxes, deputy”
3. Old French · derived fromfermier“a farmer, a lessee, husbandman, bailliff”
4. Middle English · inherited fromfermour“a steward, bailliff, collector of taxes”
5. English todayfarmer

From Middle English fermour (“a steward, bailliff, collector of taxes”), from Old French fermier (“a farmer, a lessee, husbandman, bailliff”), from Medieval Latin firmarius (“one to whom land is rented, a collector of taxes, deputy”), from firma; equivalent to farm + -er. Compare Old English feormere (“a purveyor of a guild, a supplier of food, a grocer, farmer”). More at farm.