|
|
Etymology
Dictionary
|
Origin of the word AFFRONT.
Etymology of the word
AFFRONT.
|
|
From An Etymology
Dictionary of the English Language, by Walter W. Skeat, 1893 |
|
AFFRONT,
to insult, lit. to stand front to front. (F.,—L.) The
double f was originally a single one, the prefix being the F. a.
M.E. afronten, afrounten, to insult. 'That afrontede
me foule' = who foully insulted me; P. Plowman, C. xxiii. 5. The
inf. affrounti occurs in the Ayenbite of Inwyt, p. 229.—O.F. afronter,
to confront, oppose face to face.—O.F. a, to, against; and front,
the front; so that a front answers to Lat. ad frontem; cf. Low
Lat. affrontare, to strike against.—Lat. ad; and frontem,
acc. case of frons, the forehead. See Front.
Der. affront, sb. [†]
ADDENDA
It has been suggested to
me that the O.F. afronter is more likely to be from the very common Lat.
phrase a fronte, in front, to one's face, than from ad frontem,
which is comparatively rare.
|
|
|
| Etymology
Dictionary Index |
| A, B,
C, D, E,
F, G, H,
I, J, K,
L, M, N,
O, P, Q,
R, S, T,
U, V, W,
X, Y, Z
|
|
| Key |
| Arab.=Arabic. |
| A.S.=Anglo
Saxon. |
| Bavar.=Bavarian |
| Bohem.=Bohemian. |
| C.=Celtic,
used as a general term for Irish, Gaelic, Welsh, Breton,
Cornish, &c. |
| Corn.=Cornish. |
| Dan.=Danish. |
| Du.=Dutch |
| E.=English. |
| E.E.=Early
English. |
| Europ.=European. |
| F.=French. |
| G.=German. |
| Gk.=Greek. |
| Goth.=Gothic. |
| Icel.=Icelandic. |
| Ital.=Italian. |
| L. or
Lat.=Latin. |
| Lith.
& Lithuan.=Lithuanian. |
| M.E.=Middle
English. |
| M.F.=Middle
French |
| M.H.G.=Middle
High German. |
| Norw.=Norwegian. |
| O.F.=Old
French. |
| O.H.G.=Old
High German. |
| Pers.=Persian. |
| Port.=Portuguese. |
| Scand.=Scandinavian,
used as a general term for Icelandic, Swedish, Danish,
&c. |
| Sc.=Scottish. |
| Skt.=Sanskrit. |
| Span.=Spanish. |
| Swed.=Sweish. |
| Teut.=Teutonic |
| Turk.=Turkish. |
| W.=Welsh. |
|
|
|
|
|
