friend

Where does the word "friend" come from? It comes from Proto-Germanic frijōndz, passing through Old English before entering English (1500s).

Friend’s story begins in Proto-Germanic: frijōndz meant “loving one.” Literally 'loving one', from the root of 'free' and of Frigg, the goddess in 'Friday'. By 700s-1000s, the word had taken hold in Old English as frēond. 'fēond', fiend, was formed the same way from a verb meaning to hate. It reached English by 1500s as friend. The verb 'to friend' existed in the 1200s and was revived much later by social media, in the 2000s. Today, friend means a person one knows and likes.

1. Stage 1 · Proto-Germanic · ancient frijōndz "loving one", literally 'loving one', from the root of 'free' and of Frigg, the goddess in 'Friday'.
2. Stage 2 · Old English · 700s-1000s frēond "friend", 'fēond', fiend, was formed the same way from a verb meaning to hate.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s friend "friend", the verb 'to friend' existed in the 1200s and was revived much later by social media, in the 2000s.