Source etymology 1
Original entry ↗noun
Someone or something that is markedly unusual or unpredictable. · A person who is extremely abnormal in appearance, social behavior, sexual orientation, gender identity, or business practices; an oddball, a unique person, originally in a displeasing or alienating way. · A hippie. · A drug addict.
verb
To react extremely or irrationally, usually under distress or discomposure. · To be placed or place someone under the influence of a psychedelic drug, (especially) to experience reality withdrawal, or hallucinations (nightmarish), to behave irrational or unconventional due to drug use.
adj
Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventoryStrange, weird, unexpected.
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *preg- Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Germanic *-az Proto-Germanic *frekaz Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ti Proto-Germanic *-ōną Proto-Germanic *frekōną Proto-West Germanic *frekōn Old English frician? Old English frīcian Middle English friken? ▲ Proto-Germanic *frekaz Proto-West Germanic *frek Old English frec English frekder.? English freak First attested in 1567. The sense "sudden change of mind, a whim" is of uncertain origin. Probably from a dialectal word related to Middle English frekynge (“capricious behavior; whims”) and Middle English friken, frikien (“to move briskly or nimbly”), from Old English frīcian (“to leap, dance”), or Middle English frek (“insolent, daring”), from Old English frec (“desirous, greedy, eager, bold, daring”), from Proto-West Germanic *frek, from Proto-Germanic *frekaz, *frakaz (“hard, efficient, greedy, bold, audacious”) (in which case, it would be related to the noun under etymology 3). Compare Old High German freh (“eager”), Old English frēcne (“dangerous”). For the meaning development compare Russian заско́к (zaskók) akin to ско́к (skók), скака́ть (skakátʹ).
Relationships mentioned by the source
These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.
- Cognate mentionfrekyngeenm · capricious behavior; whims
- Inherited-form mentionfrikenenm
- Inherited-form mentionfrīcianang · to leap, dance
- Derivation mentionfrekenm · insolent, daring
- Derivation mentionfrecang · desirous, greedy, eager, bold, daring
- Derivation mention*frekgmw-pro
- Derivation mention*frekazgem-pro
- Cognate mentionfrehgoh · eager
- Cognate mentionfrēcneang · dangerous
This page abbreviates 6 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.
Inspect preserved source fields
Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.
{
"templates": [
{
"name": "ety",
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": ":inh<unc>",
"3": "enm:friken<ety:inh<ang:frīcian<id:to dance>>>",
"4": ":der<unc>",
"5": "frek<ety:inh<ang:frec>>",
"id": "a whim",
"tree": "1"
},
"expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *preg-\nProto-Indo-European *-ós\nProto-Germanic *-az\nProto-Germanic *frekaz\nProto-Indo-European *-h₂\nProto-Indo-European *-éh₂\nProto-Indo-European *-yéti\nProto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti\nProto-Indo-European *-h₂ti\nProto-Germanic *-ōną\nProto-Germanic *frekōną\nProto-West Germanic *frekōn\nOld English frician?\nOld English frīcian\nMiddle English friken?\n▲\nProto-Germanic *frekaz\nProto-West Germanic *frek\nOld English frec\nEnglish frekder.?\nEnglish freak\n[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-az\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*frekaz\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" }, { \"id\" : \"verbal\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"suf\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"collective nouns\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"collective nouns\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-h₂\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\", \"pos\" : \"suffix originally used to form collective nouns, extended in Late PIE to also be a marker of feminine gender\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-éh₂\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"id\" : \"intransitive verbs\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-yéti\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-eh₂yéti\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"id\" : \"factitive verb\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-h₂ti\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-ōną\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*frekōną\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*frekōn\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"frician\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"frīcian\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"friken\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" }, { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"is_duplicate\" : true, \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : [ \"gem-pro\", \":af\", \"ine-pro:*preg-<id:yearn>\", \"*-az<id:e-grade>\" ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*frekaz\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*frek\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"frec\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"frek\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"freak\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"a whim\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"freak\" id=\"English:_a_whim\">"
},
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"name": "sup",
"args": {
"1": "1"
},
"expansion": "¹"
},
{
"name": "etydate",
"args": {
"1": "1567",
"ref1": "<span class=\"cited-source\">“freak, n.¹ and adj.”, in <cite>OED Online </cite>, Oxford: Oxford University Press, <span class=\"None\" lang=\"und\">2023.</span></span>"
},
"expansion": "First attested in 1567"
},
{
"name": "unc",
"args": {
"1": "en",
"nocap": "1"
},
"expansion": "uncertain"
},
{
"name": "cog",
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "frekynge",
"t": "capricious behavior; whims"
},
"expansion": "Middle English frekynge (“capricious behavior; whims”)"
},
{
"name": "inh",
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "friken"
},
"expansion": "Middle English friken"
},
{
"name": "inh",
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ang",
"3": "frīcian",
"t": "to leap, dance"
},
"expansion": "Old English frīcian (“to leap, dance”)"
},
{
"name": "der",
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "frek",
"t": "insolent, daring"
},
"expansion": "Middle English frek (“insolent, daring”)"
},
{
"name": "der",
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ang",
"3": "frec",
"t": "desirous, greedy, eager, bold, daring"
},
"expansion": "Old English frec (“desirous, greedy, eager, bold, daring”)"
},
{
"name": "der",
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gmw-pro",
"3": "*frek"
},
"expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *frek"
},
{
"name": "der",
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gem-pro",
"3": "*frekaz"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Germanic *frekaz"
},
{
"name": "senseno",
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "a man"
},
"expansion": "etymology 3"
},
{
"name": "cog",
"args": {
"1": "goh",
"2": "freh",
"t": "eager"
},
"expansion": "Old High German freh (“eager”)"
},
{
"name": "cog",
"args": {
"1": "ang",
"2": "frēcne",
"t": "dangerous"
},
"expansion": "Old English frēcne (“dangerous”)"
},
{
"name": "m+",
"args": {
"1": "ru",
"2": "заско́к"
},
"expansion": "Russian заско́к (zaskók)"
},
{
"name": "ety",
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": ":inh<unc>",
"3": "enm:friken<ety:inh<ang:frīcian<id:to dance>>>",
"4": ":der<unc>",
"5": "frek<ety:inh<ang:frec>>",
"id": "a whim",
"tree": "1"
},
"expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *preg-\nProto-Indo-European *-ós\nProto-Germanic *-az\nProto-Germanic *frekaz\nProto-Indo-European *-h₂\nProto-Indo-European *-éh₂\nProto-Indo-European *-yéti\nProto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti\nProto-Indo-European *-h₂ti\nProto-Germanic *-ōną\nProto-Germanic *frekōną\nProto-West Germanic *frekōn\nOld English frician?\nOld English frīcian\nMiddle English friken?\n▲\nProto-Germanic *frekaz\nProto-West Germanic *frek\nOld English frec\nEnglish frekder.?\nEnglish freak"
}
],
"links": [
[
"*preg-",
"Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/preg-#Proto-Indo-European:_yearn"
],
[
"*-ós",
"Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-ós#Proto-Indo-European:_e-grade"
],
[
"*-az",
"Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-az#Proto-Germanic:_e-grade"
],
[
"*frekaz",
"Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/frekaz"
],
[
"*-h₂",
"Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-h₂#Proto-Indo-European:_collective_nouns"
],
[
"*-éh₂",
"Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-éh₂#Proto-Indo-European:_collective_nouns"
],
[
"*-yéti",
"Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-yéti#Proto-Indo-European:_intransitive_verbs"
],
[
"*-eh₂yéti",
"Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-eh₂yéti#Proto-Indo-European:_suf"
],
[
"*-h₂ti",
"Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-h₂ti#Proto-Indo-European:_factitive_verb"
],
[
"*-ōną",
"Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-ōną#Proto-Germanic:_verbal"
],
[
"*frekōną",
"Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/frekōną"
],
[
"*frekōn",
"Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/frekōn"
],
[
"frician",
"frician#Old_English:_to_yearn_for"
],
[
"frīcian",
"frician#Old_English:_to_dance"
],
[
"friken",
"friken#Middle_English"
],
[
"*frekaz",
"Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/frekaz"
],
[
"*frek",
"Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/frek"
],
[
"frec",
"frec#Old_English"
],
[
"frek",
"frek#English"
],
[
"frekynge",
"frekynge#Middle_English"
],
[
"friken",
"friken#Middle_English"
],
[
"frikien",
"frikien#Middle_English"
],
[
"frīcian",
"frician#Old_English"
],
[
"frek",
"frek#Middle_English"
],
[
"frec",
"frec#Old_English"
],
[
"*frek",
"Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/frek"
],
[
"*frekaz",
"Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/frekaz"
],
[
"*frakaz",
"Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/frakaz"
],
[
"freh",
"freh#Old_High_German"
],
[
"frēcne",
"frecne#Old_English"
],
[
"заско́к",
"заскок#Russian"
],
[
"ско́к",
"скок#Russian"
],
[
"скака́ть",
"скакать#Russian"
]
],
"references": [],
"descendants": [],
"lexical": [
{
"pos": "noun",
"glosses": [
"Someone or something that is markedly unusual or unpredictable.",
"A person who is extremely abnormal in appearance, social behavior, sexual orientation, gender identity, or business practices; an oddball, a unique person, originally in a displeasing or alienating way.",
"A hippie.",
"A drug addict."
],
"tags": [
"derogatory",
"slang"
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{
"pos": "verb",
"glosses": [
"To react extremely or irrationally, usually under distress or discomposure.",
"To be placed or place someone under the influence of a psychedelic drug, (especially) to experience reality withdrawal, or hallucinations (nightmarish), to behave irrational or unconventional due to drug use."
],
"tags": [
"intransitive",
"slang",
"ambitransitive"
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{
"pos": "adj",
"glosses": [
"Strange, weird, unexpected."
],
"tags": [
"not-comparable"
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