fight
/faɪt/
verb
Origin
Proto-Germanic
fehtaną — to fight, struggle
Overview
Meaning Now
- To take part in a violent struggle involving the exchange of physical blows or the use of weapons.
- To contend or strive vigorously against something or someone.
Literal older meaning
to engage in battle or conflict
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → Modern English
Earliest form
feohtan
Earliest period
Old English period
Journey
The word is of Germanic origin and reflects a common root across West Germanic languages. The 'gh' represents a former velar fricative sound [x] that was present in Old and Middle English before silentization.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
fehtaną
“to fight”
- Old English
feohtan
“to fight”
Strong verb (class III)
- Middle English
fiphten
“to engage in combat”
Spelling stabilized as 'fight' in Early Modern English
Connections
Word parts
fight
root
conflict or combat
Related across languages
German
fechten
to fence (sport) or fight
Dutch
vechten
to fight
Explore next
Related to fight
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.