affray etymology

Etymology:

  • From Middle English affray, from Old French effrei or effray ("fright, terror, fear"), from Late Latin ex-fragor ("out of", "beyond" + fragor "crash, thunder"), from Latin frangere ("to break").

Meaning:

  • A fight or brawl, especially one involving a group of people in a public place.

Origin:

  • The word "affray" originated in the late 13th century in Middle English as affray, borrowed from Old French effrei or effray, which in turn derived from the Late Latin ex-fragor. The word initially meant "fright, terror, or fear," but by the 14th century, it had taken on the additional meaning of "a fight or brawl." This shift in meaning is likely due to the association between fear and the chaos and violence of a fight.

affray relate terms

  • afraid

    Etymology Old English ofrædan to fear Middle English affrayed to frighten Late

  • afeared

    Etymology Old English āfæred past participle of āfæran to terrify Proto Germanic

  • belfry

    Etymology Old French berfrei berfroit Late Latin belfredus Germanic possibly Dutch

  • affray

    Etymology From Middle English affray from Old French effrei or effray fright terror

  • defray

    Defray Etymology Borrowed from Middle French defreier from Old French desfreier desf

  • altercation

    Etymology The word altercation comes from the Latin word altercare meaning to quarr

  • disturbance

    Etymology French disturbance from Old French disturbanche Latin disturbatio from distu

  • fight

    Etymology From Middle English fighten fighte from Old English feohtan to fight f

  • scarp

    Etymology The word scarp comes from the Old Italian word scarpa meaning slope st

  • scrap

    Etymology The word scrap has several possible etymologies Old Dutch scrapen mean

  • ruffle

    Origin and Etymology of Ruffle The word ruffle originated in the late 15th century fr

  • quarrel

    Etymology Middle English querele Old French querele Latin querela meaning complain

  • cult

    Etymology The word cult comes from the Latin word cultus which means worship re