farm
/fɑːrm/
noun
Origin
Late Latin
firma — fixed payment, tribute
Overview
Meaning Now
- An area of land and its buildings used for growing crops or rearing animals.
- A tract of land held under lease for the purpose of cultivation.
Literal older meaning
rent, tax, or tribute payment
Language path
Late Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
ferme
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The word originally referred to the legal agreement of leasing land. Because the rent was often paid in agricultural produce, the meaning gradually shifted from the contract itself to the land on which the produce was grown.
Evolution
- Late Latin
firma
“fixed agreement, security”
Derived from 'firmus' (stable/fixed).
- Old French
ferme
“fixed rent, lease”
- Middle English
ferme
“a fixed periodic payment, a lease”
- Early Modern English
farm
“cultivated land held by a farmer”
The meaning shifted from the 'payment for land' to the 'land itself'.
Connections
Word parts
farm
root
fixed rent or land
Related across languages
French
ferme
farm, solid, or firm
Spanish
firme
firm, steady
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.