fro

Where does the word "fro" come from? It comes from Old Norse frá, passing through Middle English before entering English (1500s).

Fro’s story begins in Old Norse: frá meant “from.” 'from'. By 1200s, the word had taken hold in Middle English as fro. Used in the Norse-influenced north as the everyday word for 'from'. It reached English by 1500s as fro. Survives mainly in the phrase 'to and fro'. Today, fro means away, back (as in 'to and fro').

1. Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval frá "from", 'from'.
2. Stage 2 · Middle English · 1200s fro "from", used in the Norse-influenced north as the everyday word for 'from'.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s fro "away, back", survives mainly in the phrase 'to and fro'.