fend

fend · verb, noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*gʷʰen-“strike, kill”
2. Proto-Italic · derived from*fendō
3. Latin · derived fromdēfendō“to ward off”
4. Old French · derived fromdeffendre
5. Middle English · inherited fromfenden“defend, fight, prevent”
6. English todayfend

From Middle English fenden (“defend, fight, prevent”), shortening of defenden (“defend”), from Old French deffendre (Modern French défendre), from Latin dēfendō (“to ward off”), from dē- + *fendō (“hit, thrust”), from Proto-Italic *fendō, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰen- (“strike, kill”).

fend · noun²

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*peh₁-“to hate”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*fijandz
3. Old English · inherited fromfēond“adversary, foe, enemy, fiend, devil, Satan”
4. Middle English · inherited fromfēnd
5. English todayfend

From Middle English fēnd, feond, from Old English fēond (“adversary, foe, enemy, fiend, devil, Satan”), from Proto-Germanic *fijandz, present participle of *fijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *peh₁- (“to hate”). More at fiend.

Words from the same roots