fugue

The story

1. Latin · derived fromfuga“act of fleeing”
2. Italian · derived fromfuga“flight, ardor”
3. French · borrowed fromfugue
4. English todayfugue

Borrowed from French fugue, from Italian fuga (“flight, ardor”), from Latin fuga (“act of fleeing”), from fugiō (“to flee”); compare Ancient Greek φυγή (phugḗ). Apparently from the metaphor that the first part starts alone on its course, and is pursued by later parts. Doublet of fuga.

Words from the same roots