fe

fe¹ faith

Etymology tree of fe¹

inherited borrowed derived

Latin fidēs

Catalan fe

French foi

Italian fede

Spanish fe

From the same root · fe¹

Latin fidēiubeō ← fidēs

Latin fidēlis ← fidēs

Latin fidicen ← fidēs

Latin perfidus ← fidēs

Pronunciation

• Northern: [ˈfe̞]^[1]
• Balearic: [ˈfə]^[1]
• Central: [ˈfɛ]^[1]
• Northwestern, Valencia: [ˈfe]^[1]

Forms

fe f (plural fes)^[1] The DCVB records the pronunciations [fέ], [fé] and [fə́].^[2] In Menorca and Eivissa an archaic form with a final vowel survives in set phrases: Ciutadella no tenir feda “to show no mercy”, Eivissan fede.^[3]

Etymology

The word for faith is inherited from Latin fidēs (“trust, faith; credit; a promise”).^{[3][2][4][5][1]}

The same Latin word is Spanish fe, Portuguese fé, French foi, Italian fede and Occitan fe.^[6][1] The troubadours wrote Old Occitan fe as Catalan did.^[7] In Spanish ⟨fidem⟩ gave ⟨fee⟩ and then ⟨fe⟩, in the same way as ⟨pie⟩ from ⟨pedem⟩.^[8]

The final /d/ of ⟨fide(m)⟩ did not become /u/ as it did in peu, seu and hereu.^[3] Coromines holds that this is not a learned or semi-learned word: a slightly conservative influence of the Church, together with the link between ⟨fe(d)⟩ and ⟨fe(d)el⟩ (later fael), kept the consonant from reaching the stage that gave /u/.^[3] Bruguera and the GDLC also speak of a development half checked by ecclesiastical influence.^[4][5]

The Latin word is linked with fīdō (“to trust”) and with πείθω (peíthō, “to persuade”).^[9] Wiktionary takes it back to *bʰeydʰ- (“to command, persuade, trust”).^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is in the Homilies d'Organyà, at the end of the 12th century: pregem Nostre Seinor, ab bona fe e ab bones obres, “let us pray to Our Lord with good faith and good works”.^[3][10] A truce granted by the Bishop of Urgell in 1244 promises peace a bona fe e ses tot engan, “in good faith and without deceit”.^[3]

Semantic evolution

Medieval Catalan used the word for the theological virtue (Eiximenis, 1381) and for faithfulness to a pact, loyalty.^[11] Llull defines faith as the virtue that makes the understanding believe true things about God that it cannot grasp by necessary reasons.^[12] The phrase a bona fe meant both “truly” and “fairly, as is just” (Costums de Tortosa, 1272;^[3] Jaume I), and a la fe was “truly, indeed” in Curial e Güelfa.^[11] The Consolat de Mar has haver fe “to trust”.^[3]

Labèrnia in 1839 lists the virtue, the trust placed in a thing, the credit given to what someone says and a solemn promise.^[13] Fabra adds fer fe “to testify, to serve as proof”.^[14] The modern dictionaries begin with belief in a person's honesty or ability and in the truth of a statement.^[15][5]

Timeline

• late 12th century – bona fe in the Homilies d'Organyà.^[3][10]
• 1244 – a truce of the Bishop of Urgell promises peace a bona fe.^[3]
• 1272 – a bona fe “at its fair value” in the Costums de Tortosa.^[11]
• 13th century – Ramon Llull defines fe as a theological virtue.^[12]
• 1381 – Eiximenis's Cercapou speaks of not doubting the Faith.^[11]
• 1440 – a la fe “indeed” in Curial e Güelfa.^[11]
• 1932 – Fabra's dictionary records fer fe and en fe de.^[14]

Meanings

Noun

1. faith, trust: firm belief in someone's honesty, truthfulness or ability, or in the truth or effect of something.^[15][2]
2. (religion) Personal adherence to God or to a religion; the theological virtue by which one believes what God has revealed.^[5][2][1]
3. The body of beliefs of a religion, or of a school or party.^[2]
4. A given word or promise; faithfulness to it.^[2][11]
5. (law) Formal assurance that something is true, as given by a notary; a certificate.^[5][15]

fe² hay

Etymology tree of fe²

inherited borrowed derived

Latin fēnum

Catalan fe

French foin

Romanian fân

Spanish heno

From the same root · fe²

Romanian fâneață ← fân

Pronunciation

• Northern: [ˈfe̞]^[1]
• Balearic: [ˈfə]^[1]
• Central: [ˈfɛ]^[1]
• Northwestern, Valencia: [ˈfe]^[1]

Forms

fe m (plural fes)^[1] The modern standard form is fenc, from the pronunciation of the Olot–Girona area, which keeps a final [ŋ]; in Roussillon the word is alfè, with the article fused to it.^[16]

Etymology

The word for hay is inherited from Latin fēnum (“hay”).^[16][17][1]

The same Latin word is Spanish heno, Occitan fen, French foin and Romanian fân.^[16][18] The final /n/ of the Latin word was lost.^[16] The form fenc keeps an old pronunciation of the Girona area with [ŋ] in words that had final /n/.^[16]

The Latin noun, also spelt ⟨faenum⟩, continues *fēno-, which de Vaan derives from *dʰeh₁-no- (“yield”).^[19]

Earliest recorded meaning

Bernat Desclot tells of men lodged in a church where there were no mattresses or blankets, only a lot of hay (molt fe) laid down for them.^[16][11] The ordinances of Perpignan of 1284–1292 forbid buying straw or hay (paila ni fe) for resale.^[16]

Semantic evolution

Fe was the usual form from the 13th century to the 20th, and is still the only one in Torra's dictionary, Labèrnia and the Diccionari Balear.^[16] The variant fenc is first recorded about 1880 in Aguiló's materials, as a word of Olot and Besalú.^[16] It spread quickly in the early 20th century because it could not be confused with fe “faith”: Coromines found it new in a translation of about 1912, and familiar by 1925.^[16] The DIEC2 and Fabra now send fe to fenc.^[15][14] The DCVB applies the name to crimson clover, grown for fodder.^[17]

Timeline

• 1283 – Desclot's chronicle: molt fe.^[11][16]
• 1284–1292 – the ordinances of Perpignan forbid reselling straw and hay.^[16]
• 1839 – Labèrnia's dictionary still has only fe.^[16]
• c. 1880 – fenc first recorded, as a word of Olot and Besalú.^[16]
• 1932 – Fabra's dictionary defines fe as fenc.^[14]

Meanings

Noun

1. (dated or dialectal) hay; the fodder plant now called fenc.^[15][1][17]