fender
/ˈfɛndər/
noun
Origin
Old French
defendre — to defend, protect
Overview
Meaning Now
- A metal guard or frame placed before a fireplace to prevent hot coals from falling onto the floor.
- The part of a vehicle's body that protects the wheel area and minimizes the projection of road debris.
- Anything used to ward off or protect, such as a buffer on a ship.
Literal older meaning
Something that defends or wards off.
Language path
Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
fendere
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The word is an aphetic derivative (shortened form) of 'defender'. While 'defender' originally implied a person, 'fender' early on shifted to denote inanimate objects that serve a protective or defensive function, such as fireplace guards in the 17th century and later nautical or automotive bumpers.
Evolution
- Latin
defendere
“to fend off, protect”
- Old French
defendre
“to defend”
- Middle English
fendere
“one who defends; a guard”
- Early Modern English
fender
“fireplace guard”
- Modern English
fender
“vehicle part or protective device”
Connections
Word parts
fend
root
to ward off
-er
suffix
denotes a thing that performs an action
Related across languages
French
défense
defense
Related words
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Related to fender
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.