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*friþuz

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Etymology and origin of the Proto-Germanic word *friþuz

Confidence
Established
From
Proto-Indo-European *preyH-

Reconstruction

The noun is *friþuz in Orel, Ringe and Wiktionary,[1][2][3] the stem *friþu- in Kroonen, Köbler and EWA.[4][5][6]

Etymology

It is from Proto-Indo-European *preyH- (“to be or become dear”):[7] Kroonen, Orel and Wiktionary derive it from the adjective *frijaz "free",[4][1][3] Kroonen from its pre-form *priH-o-,[4] and EWA from a pre-Proto-Germanic tu-stem *préi̯H₂-tu-, genitive *priH₂-téu̯-.[6]

Morphology

A masculine u-stem,[5][6] formed with the suffix *-þu-, from IE *-tu-.[6][7] Its short i needs explaining.[4] Kroonen holds that it cannot come regularly from *priH-tu-, so the tu-stem must have been derived late, after *-īa- and *-ija- had merged, or after pretonic shortening by Dybo's law.[4] Ringe explains such short vowels as the result of morphological resegmentation, calling the word a less certain example, with *frīdaz "beloved" beside it.[8] EWA takes the zero grade to have been generalised from the oblique cases of a proterodynamic tu-stem.[6]

Evidence

The noun is North and West Germanic: Old Norse friðr, Old English freoðo, Old Frisian fretho, Old Saxon frithu and Old High German fridu.[4] In East Germanic and Lombard it is found only in personal names, Ostrogothic, Visigothic, Vandalic and Burgundian among them;[6] Orel cites a Gothic name.[1] Gothic has the derived verb Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌹𐌸𐍉𐌽 (gafriþon, “to reconcile”).[2][9] Medieval Latin fredum, a payment for breaking the peace, was borrowed from Germanic *friþu- "peace, end of a feud".[10]

Competing analyses

EWA rejects Grienberger's view that the Gothic names contain a to-participle *pritós "loved" rather than the tu-stem, since nothing in Germanic or elsewhere supports such a form; such a to-formation, in Sanskrit and in Old Norse fríðr (“handsome”), has a long vowel.[6]

Meanings

  1. peace[4][1][3][5]
  2. friendship, love[4][3][5]
  3. protection; sanctuary, refuge[6][3]

EWA takes the word to have meant properly a state of goodwill, love and sparing.[6] Old Frisian also used it for the fine for a breach of the peace and for a court district.[6]

Derivatives

  • *friþōną "to make peace",[11][2] Orel's *friþōjanan.[1]
  • *friþusamaz "peaceful",[12] *friþulandą "friendly land"[13] and *friþilaz "beloved, friend".[14]
  • Compounds in Orel: *friþu-lausaz "outlawed" and *friþu-mannz "man of peace".[1]
  • Names: *Friþurīks, *Friþugaizaz and *Sigifriþuz.[15][16][17]

Reflexes

  • Old Norse: friðr (“peace, protection”)[18]
  • Old English: friþ (“peace, protection, security, asylum”)[19]
  • Old Frisian: fretho (“peace, protection; fine for breach of the peace”)[6]
  • Old Saxon: frithu (“peace, protection, security”)[20]
  • Old Dutch: fritho (“peace”)[6]
  • Old High German: fridu (“peace, protection, security”)[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 115
  2. ^ a b c Ringe, Don (2017), From Proto-Indo-European to Proto-Germanic, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 285
  3. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *friþuz
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 156
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *friþu-
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Lloyd, Albert L.; Springer, Otto; Lühr, Rosemarie, et al. (1988–), Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Althochdeutschen, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht; online ewa.saw-leipzig.de, p. s.v. fridu
  7. ^ a b Casaretto, Antje (2004), Nominale Wortbildung der gotischen Sprache: Die Derivation der Substantive, Heidelberg: Winter
  8. ^ Ringe, Don (2017), From Proto-Indo-European to Proto-Germanic, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 98
  9. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Gotisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. gafriþōn
  10. ^ Lloyd, Albert L.; Springer, Otto; Lühr, Rosemarie, et al. (1988–), Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Althochdeutschen, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht; online ewa.saw-leipzig.de, p. s.v. fridemri
  11. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *friþōną
  12. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *friþusamaz
  13. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *friþulandą
  14. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *friþilaz
  15. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *Friþurīks
  16. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *Friþugaizaz
  17. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *Sigifriþuz
  18. ^ Köbler, Gerhard, Altnordisches Wörterbuch, online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary database copy), p. s.v. friðr
  19. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. friþ
  20. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. frithu

Related etymologies

  • *stainaz · also from Proto-Indo-European
  • *beraną · also from Proto-Indo-European
  • *fadēr · also from Proto-Indo-European
  • *watōr · also from Proto-Indo-European
  • *ga- · also from Proto-Indo-European
  • *frijaz · also from Proto-Indo-European
  • *fallaną · also from Proto-Indo-European
  • *standaną · also from Proto-Indo-European
Cite this entry

“*friþuz.” Etymologically, 16 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/gem-pro/*fri%C3%BEuz. Accessed 16 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·