Etymology Map
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Fee

3 stages from Frankish to English.

Today it means a payment made for professional advice or services

Where does the word "fee" come from? It comes from Frankish fehu, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
fehu
Frankish · ancient
"cattle, property"
a Frankish word; cattle were wealth, related to Latin 'pecus'
2
Stage 2 of 3
fie
Old French · medieval
"fief"
land granted by a lord
3
Stage 3 of 3
fee
English · 1300s
"land held in return for service"
came to mean a payment for services
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Read the full story

Fee’s story begins in Frankish: fehu meant “cattle, property.” A Frankish word; cattle were wealth, related to Latin 'pecus'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as fie. Land granted by a lord. It reached English by 1300s as fee. Came to mean a payment for services. Today, fee means a payment made for professional advice or services.