fete

Where does the word "fete" come from? It comes from Latin festus, passing through Old French and French before entering English (1754).

Fete’s story begins in Latin: festus meant “festive, joyful.” An adjective meaning festive or joyful, giving the plural noun festa. By 1100s, the word had taken hold in Old French as feste. Kept the sense of a feast or celebration. From there it passed into French as fete by medieval. Narrowed but remained a general word for a festival or party. It reached English by 1754 as fete. Borrowed for an elaborate festival or party, popularized by Horace Walpole. Today, fete means a festival, celebration, or elaborate party.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient festus "festive, joyful", an adjective meaning festive or joyful, giving the plural noun festa.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · 1100s feste "feast, celebration; holiday", kept the sense of a feast or celebration.
3. Stage 3 · French · medieval fete "a festival, celebration", narrowed but remained a general word for a festival or party.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1754 fete "a festival or elaborate party", borrowed for an elaborate festival or party, popularized by Horace Walpole.