The story
- Proto-Indo-European*preyskos
- Proto-Germanic*friskaz
- Proto-West Germanic*frisk
- Old Englishfersċ
- Middle Englishfressh
- Englishfresh
- Proto-Indo-European*wed-
- Proto-Indo-European*wódr̥
- Proto-Germanic*watōr
- Proto-West Germanic*watar
- Old Englishwæter
- Middle Englishwater
- Englishwater
- English todayfreshwater
From Middle English freche watur, fresshe water; equivalent to fresh + water.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.