infidel

Where does the word "infidel" come from? It comes from Latin fides, passing through Latin and Old French before entering English (1400s).

Infidel’s story begins in Latin: fides meant “faith, trust.” Faith, trust, giving rise to fidelis (faithful), combined with in- (not). Within Latin, it grew into infidelis by ancient. Unfaithful, disbelieving, from in- and fidelis. From there it passed into Old French as infidele by medieval. Carried into French for a person of a different religious faith. It reached English by 1400s as infidel. Settled as the English word for a person who does not believe in a particular religion. Today, infidel means a person who does not believe in a particular religion, especially from that religion's perspective.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient fides "faith, trust", faith, trust, giving rise to fidelis (faithful), combined with in- (not).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient infidelis "unfaithful, disbelieving", unfaithful, disbelieving, from in- and fidelis.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · medieval infidele "a person of a different religious faith", carried into French for a person of a different religious faith.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1400s infidel "a person who does not believe in a particular religion", settled as the English word for a person who does not believe in a particular religion.