feat English · revision 10640

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1376|origins=xno fet|origins=la factum}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /fiːt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|xno|fet]], Old French fait, deed, achievement,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from Latin [[m|la|factum|t=a thing done]], the noun use of the past participle of facere, to do, make;^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) [[fact]] is its doublet.^(Barnhart 1988) The spelling with ea is like that of [[feast]].^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ An action or deed: before 1376,^(Barnhart 1988) the mid-14th century in Etymonline; action in general, deeds as opposed to words, 1362 in the OED.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense of an exceptional or noble deed is first recorded probably before 1400,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) often in the phrase ''feat of arms'', after French fait d'armes.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) The neutral sense, any action, has died out,^(OED 1989) and the word now means a remarkable act of skill, strength or courage.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1362 – action, deeds.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1376 – an act, deed.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1400 – an exceptional deed.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A remarkable act of skill, strength, daring or endurance; an [[achievement]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A notable act of courage; an [[exploit]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[featly]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[feature]]

+ * [[fact]]

+ * [[defeat]]

+ * [[feasible]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ An adjective feat, adroit or neat, from Middle French fait, made, is archaic.^(AHD)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}