Etymology of the French word nerf
the Old French word
nerfderived from the Latin word
nervosus (sinewy; vigorous)
derived from the Medieval Latin word
nervus (nerve; Greek neuron, cordlike structure, nerve, tendon; sinew, muscle, nerve; strength; vigor, nerve; string, cord; bowstring)
derived from the Latin word
nervinusderived from the Medieval Latin word
nervus (nerve; Greek neuron, cordlike structure, nerve, tendon; sinew, muscle, nerve; strength; vigor, nerve; string, cord; bowstring)
derived from the Latin word
nervalisderived from the Medieval Latin word
nervus (nerve; Greek neuron, cordlike structure, nerve, tendon; sinew, muscle, nerve; strength; vigor, nerve; string, cord; bowstring)
using the Latin suffix
-alisDate
The earliest known usage of nerf in French dates from the 11th century.
Derivations in French
nervation,
nerver,
nerveure,
nervé,
entre-nerf,
nerf-foulure,
nervisme,
tire-nerf,
nerval,
nerveux,
nervinDerivations in other languages
English
nerveCognates
English
nerve, French
nerve, German
Nerv, German
Nerve, Italian
nervo, Latin
nervus, Lithuanian
nervas, Norwegian
nerve, Polish
nerw, Provençal
nervi, Russian
нepв, Spanish
nervio, Swedish
nervUsage
Word found in Old French
