A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

facade --- 1656, from Fr. façade, It. facciata, from faccia "face," from V.L. *facia (see face).

face (n.) --- c.1290, from O.Fr. face, from V.L. *facia, from L. facies "appearance, form, figure," and secondarily "visage, countenance;" probably related to facere "to make" (see factitious). Replaced O.E. andwlita. To face (v.) "confront" is first recorded 1465. To lose face (or save face), 1876, is said to be from Chinese tu lien; to face the music is theatrical. Face-lift (n.) first recorded 1934, from face-lifting (1922).

facet --- 1625, from Fr. facette, from O.Fr., dim. of face (see face). The diamond-cutting sense is the original one.

facetious --- 1592, from Fr. facétieux, from facétie "a joke," from L. facetia, from facetus "witty, elegant," of unknown origin, perhaps related to facis "torch." It implies a desire to be amusing, often intrusive or ill-timed. "Facetiæ in booksellers' catalogues, is, like curious, a euphemism for erotica." [Fowler]

facile --- 1483, from M.Fr. facile "easy," from L. facilis "easy to do" and, of persons, "pliant, courteous," from facere "to do" (see factitious). Facilitate is from 1611.

facile princeps --- 1834, from L., lit. "easily first." An acknowledged leader or chief.

facilis descensus Averni --- 1618, from L., lit. "the descent of Avernus (is) easy" [Virgil, "Aeneid," VI.126], in ref. to Avernus, a deep lake near Puteoli, a reputed entrance to the underworld; hence, "it is easy to slip into moral ruin."

facility --- c.1425, from M.Fr. facilité, from L. facilitatem, from facilis "easy" (see facile). Its sense in Eng. moved from "genteelness" to "opportunity" (1519), to "aptitude, ease" (1532). Meaning "place for doing something," which makes the word so beloved of journalists and fuzzy writers, first recorded 1872.

facsimile --- 1662, from L. fac simile "make similar," from fac imperative of facere "to make" (see factitious) + simile, neut. of similis "like, similar."

fact --- 1539, "action," especially "evil deed," from L. factum "event, occurrence," lit. "thing done," from neut. pp. of facere "to do" (see factitious). Usual modern sense of "thing known to be true" appeared 1632, from notion of "something that has actually occurred." Facts of life "harsh realities" is from 1854; specific sense of "human sexual functions" first recorded 1913. Factoid is from 1973, first explained, if not coined, by Norman Mailer. "Factoids ... that is, facts which have no existence before appearing in a magazine or newspaper, creations which are not so much lies as a product to manipulate emotion in the Silent Majority." [N. Mailer, "Marilyn," 1973]

faction --- 1509, from L. factionem (nom. factio) "political party, class of persons," lit. "a making or doing," from facere "to do" (see factitious). In ancient Rome, "one of the companies of contractors for the chariot races in the circus."

factious --- 1532, from M.Fr. factieux, from L. factiosus "inclined to form parties," from factionem (see faction).

factitious --- 1646, from L. factitius "artificial," from factus, pp. of facere "do" (cf. Fr. faire, Sp. hacer), from PIE base *dhe- "to put, to do" (cf. Skt. dadhati "puts, places;" Avestan dadaiti "he puts;" O.Pers. ada "he made;" Hitt. dai- "to place;" Gk. tithenai "to put, set, place;" Lith. deti "to put;" Czech diti, Pol. dziac', Rus. det' "to hide," delat' "to do;" O.H.G. tuon, Ger. tun, O.S., O.E. don "to do;" O.Fris. dua, O.Swed. duon, Goth. gadeths "a doing;" O.N. dalidun "they did").

factor (n.) --- 1432, "agent, deputy," from M.Fr. facteur "agent, representative," from L. factor "doer or maker," from facere "to do" (see factitious). Sense of "circumstance producing a result" is from 1816; the v. use in mathematics is attested from 1837.

factory --- 1560, "estate manager's office," from M.Fr. factorie, from L.L. factorium "office for agents (factors)," also "oil press, mill," from L. factor "doer, maker." Sense of "building for making goods" is first attested 1618.

factotum --- 1566, from M.L. fac totum "do everything," from fac, imperative of facere "do" (see factitious) + totum "all" (see total).

faculty --- 1382, "ability, means, resources," from O.Fr. faculté, from L. facultatem (nom. facultas) "power, ability, wealth," from *facli-tat-s, from facilis (see facile). Academic sense was probably the earliest in Eng. (attested in Anglo-L. from 1184), on notion of "ability in knowledge." Originally each department was a faculty; the use in ref. to the whole teaching staff of a college dates from 1767.

fad --- 1834, "hobby, pet project;" 1881 as "fashion, craze," perhaps shortened from fiddle-faddle. Or perhaps from Fr. fadaise "trifle, nonsense," ult. from L. fatuus "stupid."

fade --- c.1320, from O.Fr. fader, from fade "pale, weak, insipid," probably from V.L. *fatidus, some sort of blending of L. fatuus "silly, tasteless" + vapidus "flat, flavorless."

faerie --- 1590, var. of fairy (q.v.), probably existing in M.E., but first attested in Spenser's "Faery Queene," where he used it in his own sense, to mean "the realm of fairies," in a dignified and poetic sense divorced from the common folk tales.

fag (n.) --- British slang for "cigarette" (originally, especially, the butt of a smoked cigarette), 1888, probably from fag-end "extreme end, loose piece" (1613), from fag "loose piece" (1486), perhaps related to fag (v.).

fag (v.) --- to droop, decline, tire, 1530, apparently an alteration of flag in its verbal sense of "droop." Trans. sense of "to make (someone or something) fatigued" is first attested 1826.

faggot (1) --- 1279, "bundle of twigs bound up," from O.Fr. fagot "bundle of sticks," from It. faggotto, dim. of V.L. *facus, from L. fascis "bundle of wood" (see fasces). Esp. used for burning heretics (a sense attested from 1555), so that phrase fire and faggot was used to mean "punishment of a heretic." Heretics who recanted were required to wear an embroidered figure of a faggot on their sleeve, as an emblem and reminder of what they deserved.

faggot (2) --- male homosexual, 1914, Amer.Eng. slang (shortened form fag is from 1921), probably from earlier contemptuous term for "woman" (1591), especially an old and unpleasant one, in reference to faggot (1) "bundle of sticks," as something awkward that has to be carried (cf. baggage). It was used in this sense in 20c. by D.H. Lawrence and James Joyce, among others. It may also be reinforced by Yiddish faygele "homosexual," lit. "little bird." It also may have roots in Brit. public school slang fag "a junior who does certain duties for a senior" (1785), with suggestions of "catamite," from fag (v.). This was also used as a verb. "He [the prefect] used to fag me to blow the chapel organ for him." ["Boy's Own Paper," 1889] Other obsolete senses of faggot were "man hired into military service simply to fill out the ranks at muster" (1700) and "vote manufactured for party purposes" (1817). The oft-heard statement that male homosexuals were called faggots in reference to their being burned at the stake is an etymological urban legend. Burning was sometimes a punishment meted out to homosexuals in Christian Europe (on the suggestion of the Biblical fate of Sodom and Gomorah), but in England, where parliament had made homosexuality a capital offense in 1533, hanging was the method prescribed. Any use of faggot in connection with public executions had long become an English historical obscurity by the time the word began to be used for "male homosexual" in 20th century American slang, whereas the contemptuous slang word for "woman" (and the other possible sources or influences listed here) was in active use.

Fahrenheit --- 1753, named for Gabriel Daniel Fahrenheit (1686-1736), Prussian physicist who proposed the scale in 1714. An abstract surname meaning lit. "experience."

fail --- c.1225, from O.Fr. faillir "be lacking, miss, not succeed," from V.L. *fallire, from L. fallere "deceive, be lacking or defective." Replaced O.E. abreoðan. The Anglo-Norm. form, failer, came to be used as a noun, hence failure (1643). Fail-safe dates from 1948.

fain --- O.E. fægen, fagen "glad, cheerful, happy," from a common Gmc. root (cf. O.N. feginn "glad," O.H.G. faginon, Goth. faginon "to rejoice").

faint (adj.) --- c.1300, "wanting in courage," now mostly in faint-hearted (c.1440), from O.Fr. faint "soft, weak, sluggish," pp. of faindre "avoid one's duty by pretending" (see feign). Sense of "weak, feeble" is c.1320. Meaning "producing a feeble impression upon the senses" is from 1660. The v. originally meant "to lose heart" (c.1350); sense of "swoon" is c.1400.

fair (adj.) --- O.E. fæger "beautiful, pleasant," from P.Gmc. *fagraz (cf. O.N. fagr, O.H.G. fagar "beautiful," Goth. fagrs "fit"), from PIE *fag-. The meaning in ref. to weather (c.1205) preserves the original sense (opposed to foul). Sense of "light complexioned" (1551) reflects tastes in beauty; sense of "free from bias" (c.1340) evolved from another early meaning, "morally pure, unblemished" (c.1175). The sporting senses (fair ball, fair catch etc.) began in 1856. Fair play is from 1595; fair and square is from 1604. Fair-haired in the fig. sense of "darling, favorite" is from 1909. Fairly in the sense of "somewhat" is from 1805; it earlier meant "totally." Fairway (1584) originally meant "navigational channel of a river;" golfing sense is from 1910. First record of fair-weather friends is from 1736.

fair (n.) --- c.1330, from Anglo-Fr. feyre (1292), from O.Fr. feire, from V.L. *feria "holiday, market fair," from L. feriæ "religious festival, holiday" (see feast).

fairing --- piece added for streamlining purposes, 1865, from fair (v.) a ship-building word meaning "to make fair or level, to correct curvatures," from fair (adj.).

fairy --- c.1300, "enchantment, magic," from O.Fr. faerie "land of fairies, meeting of fairies, enchantment, magic," from fae "fay," from L. fata (pl.) "the Fates." In ref. to a class of supernatural beings, the word is used from 1393. The slang meaning "effeminate male homosexual" is first recorded 1895. Fairy tale "oral narrative centered on magical tests, quests, and transformations" (1749) translates Fr. Conte de feés of Madame d'Aulnois (1698, translated into Eng. 1699). Fairy ring is from 1599. Fossil sea urchins found on the Eng. downlands were called fairy loaves.

fait accompli --- 1845, from Fr., lit. "an accomplished fact."

faith --- c.1250, "duty of fulfilling one's trust," from O.Fr. feid, from L. fides "trust, belief," from root of fidere "to trust," from PIE base *bhidh-/*bhoidh- (cf. Gk. pistis; see bid). For sense evolution, see belief. Theological sense is from 1382; religions called faiths since c.1300. Faith-healer is from 1885. Old Faithful geyser named 1870 by explorer Gen. H.D. Washburn, Surveyor-General of the Montana Territory, in ref. to the regularity of its outbursts.

fake --- attested in London criminal slang as adj. (1775), verb (1812), and noun (1827), but probably older. Likely source is feague "to spruce up by artificial means," from Ger. fegen "polish, sweep," also "to clear out, plunder" in colloquial use. "Much of our early thieves' slang is Ger. or Du., and dates from the Thirty Years' War" [Weekley]. Or it may be from L. facere "to do."

fakir --- 1609, from Arabic faqir "a poor man," from faqura "he was poor." Term for Muslim holy man who lived by begging, misapplied in 19c. Eng. (possibly under influence of faker) to Hindu ascetics. Arabic plural form fuqara may have led to variant early Eng. forms such as fuckiere (1638).

Falangist --- 1937, member of the Falange, the fascist party in Spain (founded 1933), from Sp. Falange (Española) "(Spanish) Phalanx," from L. phalanx (gen. phalangis), see phalanx.

Falasha --- dark-skinned Jewish tribe of Abyssinia, 1710, from Ethiop., lit. "exiled, wanderer, immigrant," from falasa "he wandered."

falchion --- broad sword, somewhat curved, 1303, from O.Fr. fauchon, from V.L. falcionem, from L. falx "sickle."

falcon --- c.1250, from O.Fr. faucon, from L.L. falconem (nom. falco), probably from L. falx (gen. falcis) "sickle," usually said to be so called for the shape of its talons or beak, but possibly from the shape of its spread wings. The other theory is that falx is of Gmc. origin, which is supported by the antiquity of the word in Gmc. but opposed by those who point out that falconry by all evidences was imported from the East, and the Germans got it from the Romans, not the other way around.

falderol --- 1701, nonsense refrain in songs; meaning "gewgaw, trifle" is attested from 1820.

fall (v.) --- O.E. feallan (class VII strong verb; past tense feoll, pp. feallen), from P.Gmc. *fallanan (cf. O.N. falla, O.H.G. fallan), from PIE base *phol- "to fall" (cf. Armenian p'ul "downfall," Lith. puola "to fall," O.Prus. aupallai "finds," lit. "falls upon"). Noun sense of "autumn" (now only in U.S.) is 1664, short for fall of the leaf (1545). That of "cascade, waterfall" is from 1579. Most of the figurative senses had developed in M.E. Meaning "to be reduced" (as temperature) is from 1658. To fall in love is attested from 1530; to fall asleep is 1393. Fall guy is from 1906. Fallout "radioactive particles" is from 1950. Fallen "morally ruined" is from 1628.

fallacy --- 1481, "deception, false statement," from L. fallacia "deception," from fallax (gen. fallacis) "deceptive," from fallere "deceive." Specific sense in logic dates from 1552.

fallible --- c.1412, from M.L. fallibilis "liable to err, deceitful." lit. "that can be deceived," from L. fallere "deceive."

Fallopian tubes --- 1706, from Gabriello Fallopio (1523-62), It. anatomist who first described them.

fallow (adj.) --- O.E. fealu "pale, faded, dark, yellowish-brown," from P.Gmc. *falwaz (cf. O.N. fölr, M.Du. valu, Ger. falb), from PIE *polwos "dark-colored, gray" (cf. O.C.S. plavu, Lith. palvas "sallow," Gk. polios, Welsh llwyd "gray," L. pallere "to be pale"). It also forms the root of words for "pigeon" in Gk. (peleia), L. (palumbes), O.Prus. (poalis).

fallow (n.) --- O.E. fealh "fallow land," from P.Gmc. *falgo (cf. O.H.G. felga "harrow," E.Fris. falge "fallow," falgen "to break up ground"), perhaps from a derivation of PIE base *pel- "to turn," assimilated in Eng. to fallow (adj.) because of the color of plowed earth. Originally "plowed land," then "land plowed but not planted" (1523).

false --- c.1200, from O.Fr. fals, faus, from L. falsus "deceived, erroneous, mistaken," pp. of fallere "deceive, disappoint," of uncertain origin. Adopted into other Gmc. languages (cf. Ger. falsch, Dan. falsk), though Eng. is the only one in which the active sense of "deceitful" (a secondary sense in L.) has predominated. Falsies "padded brassiere" first recorded 1943.

falsetto --- 1774, from It., dim. of falso "false."

falter --- c.1340, possibly from a Scand. source, or a frequentative of M.E. falden "to fold," infl. by fault.

fame --- c.1290, "celebrity, renown," from O.Fr. fame, from L. fama "talk, rumor, report, reputation," from PIE base *bha- "to speak, tell, say" (cf. Skt. bhanati "speaks;" L. fari "to say;" Arm. ban, bay "word, term;" O.C.S. bajati "to talk, tell;" O.E. boian "to boast," ben "prayer, request;" Gk. pheme "talk," phone "voice, sound," phanai "to speak;" O.Ir. bann "law"). The goddess Fama was the personification of rumor in Roman mythology. The L. derivative fabulare was the colloq. word for "speak, talk" since the time of Plautus, whence Sp. hablar.

familiar (adj.) --- c.1340, "intimate, very friendly," from O.Fr. familier, from L. familiaris "domestic." The sense gradually broadened. Of things, 1490. The noun meaning "demon, evil spirit that answers one's call" is from 1584.

family --- c.1400, "servants of a household," from L. familia "household," including relatives and servants, from famulus "servant," of unknown origin. The classical L. sense recorded in Eng. from 1545; the main modern sense of "those connected by blood" (whether living together or not) is first attested 1667. Replaced O.E. hiwscipe. Buzzword family values first recorded 1966. Phrase in a family way "pregnant" is from 1796. Family circle is 1809; family man, one devoted to wife and children, is 1856 (earlier it meant "thief," 1788, from family in slang sense of "the fraternity of thieves").

famine --- 1362, from O.Fr. famine "hunger," from L. fames "hunger," of unknown origin.

famish --- c.1400, famen, aphetic of O.Fr. afamer, from V.L. *affamare "to bring to hunger," from ad famem, from L. fames "hunger." Ending changed after 1338 to -ish under infl. of ravish, anguish, etc. The intrans. sense is from 1530.

famous --- c.1385, from Anglo-Fr. famous, from O.Fr. fameus, from L. famosus, from fama (see fame). A native word for this was O.E. namcuð, lit. "name-known." Catch phrase famous last words "remark likely to be proved wrong" is first attested 1948.

fan (1) --- O.E. (W. Saxon) fann "a basket or shovel for winnowing grain" (by tossing it in the air), from L. vannus, related to ventus "wind" (see wind (n.)). The chaff, being lighter, would blow off. Sense of "device for moving air" first recorded 1390; the hand-held version is first attested 1555. To fan out "spread out like a hand-held fan," is from 1592. A fan-light (1819) originally was shaped like a lady's fan.

fan (2) --- 1889, Amer.Eng., originally of baseball enthusiasts, probably a shortening of fanatic, but may be influenced by the Fancy (1807), a collective term for followers of a certain hobby or sport (especially boxing). There is an isolated use from 1682, but the modern word is likely a new formation.

fanatic --- c.1525, "insane person," from L. fanaticus "mad, enthusiastic, inspired by a god," originally, "pertaining to a temple," from fanum "temple," related to festus "festive" (see feast). Current sense of "extremely zealous," especially in religion, is first attested 1647. The noun is from 1650, originally in religious sense, of Nonconformists. "A fanatic is someone who can't change his mind and won't change the subject." [Winston Churchill]

fancy (n.) --- 1465, contraction of fantasy, it took the older and longer word's sense of "inclination, whim, desire." The v. meaning "take a liking to" (1545) is a contraction of fantasien "to fantasize (about)." The adj. is mid-18c.

fandango --- c.1750, lively Sp. dance, of unknown origin [OED says "alleged to be of negro origin"], perhaps related to fado (attested in Eng. from 1902), a popular music style of Portugal, from L. fatum "fate, destiny." Fado is lovely, but not lively, so perhaps the link, if any, is thematic. But the late date argues against it.

fanfare --- 1605, from Fr. fanfarer "blow a fanfare," perhaps echoic, or perhaps borrowed (with Sp. fanfarron "braggart," and It. fanfano "babbler") from Arabic farfar "chatterer."

fang --- O.E. fang "prey, spoils, a seizing or taking," from gefangen, pp. of fon "seize, take, capture," from P.Gmc. *fango- (cf. O.N. fanga, Ger. fangen), from PIE base *pank-/*pak- "to make firm, fix;" connected to L. pax (gen. pacis) "peace." The sense of "canine tooth" (1555) probably developed from O.E. fengtoð, lit. "catching- or grasping-tooth."

Fannie Mae --- 1948, from FNMA, acronym of "Federal National Mortgage Association," established 1938.

fanny --- buttocks, 1920, Amer.Eng., from earlier British meaning "vulva" (1879), perhaps from the name of John Cleland's heroine in the scandalous novel "Fanny Hill or Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure" (1748). The fem. proper name is a dim. of Frances. The genital sense is still the primary one outside U.S., but is not current in Amer.Eng., which can have consequences when U.S. TV programs and movies air in Britain.

fantasia --- musical composition that sounds extemporaneous, 1724, from It. fantasia, from L. phantasia (see fantasy).

fantastic --- c.1387, "existing only in imagination," from O.Fr. fantastique, from L.L. phantasticus "imaginary," from Gk. phantastikos "able to imagine," from phantazein "make visible" (middle voice phantazesthai "picture to oneself"); see fantasy. Trivial sense of "wonderful, marvelous" first recorded 1938.

fantasy --- c.1325, "illusory appearance," from O.Fr. fantasie, from L. phantasia, from Gk. phantasia "appearance, image, perception, imagination," from phantazesthai "picture to oneself," from phantos "visible," from phainesthai "appear," in late Gk. "to imagine, have visions," related to phaos, phos "light." Sense of "whimsical notion, illusion" is pre-1400, followed by that of "imagination," which is first attested 1539. Sense of "day-dream based on desires" is from 1926, as is fantasize.

far --- O.E. feorr "to a great distance, long ago," from P.Gmc. *ferro (cf. O.N. fjarre, Du. ver, Ger. fern), from PIE *per- "through, across, beyond" (cf. Skt. parah "farther, remote, ulterior," Hitt. para "outside of," Gk. pera "across, beyond," L. per "through," O.Ir. ire "farther"). In figurative sense, far-fetched is from 1607; far-sighted is 1641 in figurative sense, 1878 in literal sense (hypermetropic). Far-out began 1954 as jazz slang. Far East "China, Japan, and surrounding regions" is from 1852.

farad --- unit of electric capacity, suggested 1861, first used 1868, named for Eng. physicist Michael Faraday (1791-1867).

farce --- 1530, from M.Fr. farce "comic interlude in a mystery play," lit. "stuffing," from O.Fr. farcir "to stuff," from L. farcire, perhaps related to frequens "crowded." The pseudo-L. farsia was applied 13c. in France and England to praise phrases inserted into liturgical formulae (e.g. between kyrie and eleison), then in O.Fr. farce was extended to the impromptu buffoonery among actors that was a feature of religious stage plays.

fardel --- bundle, burden, c.1300, from O.Fr. fardel, dim. of farde, perhaps from Arabic fardah.

fare (n.) --- O.E. fær "journey, road," strong neut. of faran "to journey" (see fare (v.)); merged with faru "journey, expedition, companions, baggage," strong fem. of faran. Original sense is obsolete, except in compounds (wayfarer, sea-faring, etc.) Meaning of "food provided" is c.1205; that of "conveyance" appears in Scot. c.1425 and led to sense of "payment for passage" (1514).

fare (v.) --- O.E. faran "to journey, to make one's way," from P.Gmc. *faranan (cf. Goth. faran, Ger. fahren), from PIE *por- "going, passage" (cf. Skt. piparti "brings over," Gk. poros "passage, way," L. peritus "experienced").

farewell --- c.1374, from M.E. faren wel (see fare (v.)); usually said to the departing person, who replied with good-bye.

farina --- 1398, from L. farina "ground wheat, flour, meal," from far (gen. farris) "grits, a kind of grain." Hence, farinaceous (1656).

farm (n.) --- 1297, from O.Fr. ferme "lease," from M.L. firma "fixed payment," from L. firmare "to fix, settle, confirm, strengthen," from firmus "firm" (see firm (adj.)). Sense of "tract of leased land" is first recorded 1334; that of "cultivated land" (leased or not) is 1523. The v., in its agricultural sense, is 1719. Original sense is retained in to farm out. Farmer (1599) replaced native churl, husbandman. Phrase buy the farm "die in battle," is at least from World War II, perhaps a cynical reference to the draftee's dream of getting out of the war and going home, in many cases to a peaceful farmstead. But fetch the farm is prisoner slang from at least 1879 for "get sent to the infirmary," with reference to the better diet and lighter duties there.

faro --- 1735, gambling game with cards, apparently altered from pharaoh; perhaps his image was on one of the cards.

Farquhar --- surname attested from 1178, from Gael. fearchar "very dear one."

farrago --- 1632, from L. farrago "medley, mix of grains for animal feed," from far "corn."

Farrell --- Ir. surname, from Ir. Fearghail "man of valor."

farrier --- 1562, from M.Fr. ferrier "blacksmith," from L. ferrarius "of iron," also "blacksmith," from ferrum "iron," possibly of Sem. origin, via Etruscan. In M.L., ferrus also meant "a horseshoe."