fringe

The story

1. Latin · derived fromfimbriae“fibers, threads, fringe”
2. Vulgar Latin · derived from*frimbia
3. Old French · derived fromfrenge
4. Middle English · inherited fromfrenge
5. English todayfringe

From Middle English frenge, from Old French frenge, from Vulgar Latin *frimbia, a metathesis of Latin fimbriae (“fibers, threads, fringe”, plural), of uncertain origin. Compare German Franse and Danish frynse. Displaced native Middle English fnæd (“fringe”), Middle English byrd (“fringe”), Middle English fasel (“fringe”) from Old English fæs (“fringe”), and Old English fnæs (“fringe”). Doublet of fimbria.

Words from the same roots