frisk

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*preg-“greedy, fierce”
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*frekaz
3. Gothic · derived from*𐍆𐍂𐌹𐌺𐍃“greedy, hungry”
4. Old French · derived fromfricque
5. Proto-Germanic · derived from*friskaz“fresh”
6. Old High German · derived fromfrisc“fresh”
7. Middle Dutch · derived fromfrisc“fresh”
8. Germanic · derived from
9. Middle French · derived fromfrisque“lively, jolly, blithe, fine, spruce, gay”
10. Middle English · inherited fromfrisk“lively, frisky”
11. English todayfrisk

From Middle English frisk (“lively, frisky”), from Middle French frisque (“lively, jolly, blithe, fine, spruce, gay”), of Germanic origin, perhaps from Middle Dutch frisc (“fresh”) or Old High German frisc (“fresh”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *friskaz (“fresh”). Cognate with Icelandic frískur (“frisky, fresh”). Doublet of fresco and fresh. More at fresh. Alternative etymology derives frisk from an alteration (due to Old French fresche (“fresh”)) of Old French fricque, frique (“smart, strong, playful, bright”), from Gothic *𐍆𐍂𐌹𐌺𐍃 (*friks, “greedy, hungry”), from Proto-Germanic *frekaz, *frakaz (“greedy, active”), from Proto-Indo-European *preg- (“greedy, fierce”). Cognate with Middle Dutch vrec (“greedy, avaricious”), German frech (“insolent”), Old English frec (“greedy, eager, bold, daring, dangerous”). More at freak.

Words from the same roots