rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryRoot: ferre
Latin

ferre

bear, carry, bring

Forms

  • fer-
  • lat- — Used for ‘carried’ in the Latin verb’s grammar, but supplied by a different older root.

Origin

Reconstructed Proto-Indo-European *bher-, ‘bear; carry.’

Note

English bear is a relative from the same older source, rather than a Latin borrowing.

23 / 48
A woman extends a small open basket of ripe pears toward a man, who reaches to accept one.
noun

offering

AW-fer-ing/ˈɔːfərɪŋ/

Something presented for acceptance or use.

Etymology
ofLatintoward, against; in the way
+ferLatinbear, carry, bring
+ingEnglishan action or activity

The image of “bringing before” appears in the noun's early sense of a gift presented to a deity. It broadened to things presented to people, including goods for sale.

Full entry

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