friend English · revision 3627

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725, Beowulf (Old English frēond)|origins=ine-pro *prī-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /frend/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|frend]], [[inh|ang|frēond]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000) from [[gem-pro|*frijōjands|t=lover, friend]],^(Etymonline) the present participle of a verb meaning “to love”, seen in Old English [[m|ang|frēon]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000)^(Klein 1966) from [[ine-pro|*prī-|t=to love]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) Its relatives include [[nl|vriend]], [[de|Freund]] and [[non|frændi|t=kinsman, friend]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) and in English [[free]].^(COED 2004)^(Klein 1966)^(MWU 2024) It was formed like [[fiend]], also a present participle,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966) though ''fiend'' is not related to it.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A person attached to another by affection: Old English ''frēond'', about 725, in ''Beowulf'',^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) where the king's hall is described as full of friends.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The American Heritage Dictionary points out that a friend is literally a lover: Old English ''frēond'' was simply the present participle of ''frēon'', “to love”, just as Latin ''amīcus'' goes with ''amō'' and Greek ''philos'' with ''phileō''.^(AHD 2000) The same Germanic root gave a word for “peace”, found in names such as ''Frederick'', and the name of the goddess Frigg, preserved in ''Friday''.^(AHD 2000) In Old English ''frēond'' and ''fēond'' (“enemy”) were often paired in alliteration.^(Etymonline) The long vowel of Middle English was later shortened under the influence of words such as ''friendship'',^(Barnhart 1988) which goes back to Old English ''frēondscipe''.^(Barnhart 1988) The proverb ''a friend in need is a friend indeed'' can be traced back to the 11th century.^(Cresswell 2021) A member of the Society of Friends, a Quaker, has been called a ''Friend'' since 1656^(HTOED) or the 1670s.^(Etymonline) The verb has been used since about 1200, “to be friends”, though ''befriend'' is the usual word,^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) and in the social-media sense since 2005.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – Old English ''frēond'' and ''frēondscipe'' (''Beowulf'').^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 11th century – ''a friend in need is a friend indeed''.^(Cresswell 2021)

+ * c. 1200 – verb, to be friends.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1656 – a Quaker.^(HTOED)

+ * 2005 – verb, to add as a friend online.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person one knows, likes and trusts.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # An [[acquaintance]].^(AHD)

+ # An ally in a struggle or cause; a [[comrade]].^(AHD)

+ # A supporter or [[patron]] of a group, cause or movement.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # ''(capitalized)'' A member of the [[Society of Friends]]; a [[Quaker]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(archaic)'' To [[befriend]].^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # To add someone as a contact on a [[social networking]] site.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[friendless]]

+ * [[friendlessness]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[free]]

+ * [[fiend]]

+ * [[friendship]]

+ * [[friendly]]

+ * [[Friday]]

+ * [[befriend]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}