Fear
/fɪər/noun
An unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous.
Did you know?The Old English word for fear, 'fǣr', was associated with sudden danger, hinting at how fear has always been linked to survival instincts.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bhergh-
“to carry, to protect, suggesting a primal instinct against threats.”
Ancient Germanic
Old Norse
fǫr
“journey, passage, indicating the trepidation involved in confronting the unknown.”
Old English
Old English
fǣr
“sudden danger, calamity, capturing the essence of unexpected threats.”
Middle English
Middle English
fer
“fear, dread, as the emotion began to take on a more personal resonance.”
Modern English
English
fear
“an unpleasant emotion in response to perceived threat or danger.”