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Where does the word "faint" come from? It comes from Latin fingere, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
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Where does the word "faint" come from? It comes from Latin fingere, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
Faint’s story begins in Latin: fingere meant “to shape, feign.” The root of 'feign' and 'fiction'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as feint. Past participle of 'feindre', to feign. It reached English by 1300s as faint. 'feint' in fencing is the same word. Today, faint means weak and dizzy; barely noticeable.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient fingere "to shape, feign", the root of 'feign' and 'fiction'.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval feint "sluggish, pretended", past participle of 'feindre', to feign.
- Stage 3 · English · 1300s faint "feigned; weak", 'feint' in fencing is the same word.