ferme

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɛʁm/

• Audio:

  (file)

Etymology 1

Inherited from Middle French ferme, from Old French ferm, ferme (“solid”), from Latin firmus (“solid, secure”), from Proto-Italic *fermos, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰer-mo-s (“holding”), from the root *dʰer- (“to hold”).

Etymology 2

Inherited from Middle French ferme (“farm, farm buildings”), from Old French ferme (“lease for working, rent, farm”), from Medieval Latin ferma, firma (“rent, tax, tribute, farm”). There is debate as to whether Medieval Latin acquires this term from Old English feorm (“rent, provision, supplies, feast”), from Proto-Germanic *fermō, *firhuma- (“means of living, subsistence”), from Proto-Germanic *ferhwō (“life force, body, being”), from Proto-Indo-European *perkʷ- (“life, force, strength, tree”), or from Latin firmus (“solid, secure”), from Proto-Italic *fermos, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰer-mo-s (“holding”), from the root *dʰer- (“to hold”). If the former etymology is correct, the term is related to Old English feorh (“life, spirit”), Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌹𐍂𐍈𐌿𐍃 (fairƕus, “the world”). Compare also Old English feormehām (“farm”), feormere (“purveyor”).

Further reading

• “ferme”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfer.me/
• Rhymes: -erme
• Hyphenation: fér‧me

Adjective

ferme f pl

1. feminine plural of fermo

Noun

ferme f pl

1. plural of ferma

Anagrams

• Efrem, freme, fremé

Etymology

From *ferimē, earlier superlative of ferē, from Proto-Italic *feramos, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰer- (“to hold”). Cognates include firmus.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈfer.meː/, [ˈfɛrmeː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈfer.me/, [ˈfɛrme]

Adverb

fermē (not comparable)

1. Closely, quite, entirely, fully, altogether, just.

   Synonyms: prope, paene, ferē, iū̆xtā

2. In general, generally, usually, commonly, for most of the time.

References

• “ferme”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “ferme”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• ferme in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.

Etymology 1

From Medieval Latin ferma, Old French ferme, and their etymon Old English feorm, from Proto-West Germanic *fermu, from Proto-Germanic *fermō.

Etymology 2

From Old French ferm, ferme, from Latin firmus, from Proto-Italic *fermos.

Etymology 3

Etymology 4

Etymology 5

Etymology

From Old French ferm, ferme (“solid”), from Latin firmus (“solid, secure”).

Adjective

ferme m or f (plural fermes)

1. firm

Etymology

From Medieval Latin ferma, firma (“rent, tax, tribute, farm”), from Old English feorm (“rent, provision, supplies, feast”), from Proto-Germanic *firmō, *fermō (“means of living, subsistence”), from *firhu- (“life force, body, being”), from Proto-Indo-European *perkʷ- (“life, force, strength, tree”).

Noun

ferme oblique singular, f (oblique plural fermes, nominative singular ferme, nominative plural fermes)

1. lease (letting agreement)
2. the land leased
3. farm

Adjective

ferme f

1. oblique and nominative singular feminine of ferm

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈferme]

Noun

ferme f

1. inflection of fermă:
   1. indefinite plural
   2. indefinite genitive/dative singular