figure

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*dʰeyǵʰ-“to mold, shape, form, knead”
2. Latin · derived fromfigūra“form, shape, form of a word, a figure of speech, Late Latin a sketch, drawing”
3. Old French · derived fromfigure
4. Middle English · inherited fromfigure
5. English todayfigure

From Middle English figure, borrowed from Old French figure, from Latin figūra (“form, shape, form of a word, a figure of speech, Late Latin a sketch, drawing”), from fingō (“to form, shape, mold, fashion”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeyǵʰ- (“to mold, shape, form, knead”). Cognate with Ancient Greek τεῖχος (teîkhos), Sanskrit देग्धि (dégdhi), Old English dāg (“dough”). More at dough. Doublet of figura.

Words from the same roots