Online Etymology Dictionary

fig: early 13c., from O.Fr. figue, from O.Prov. figa, from V.L. *fica, from L. ficus "fig tree, fig," from a pre-I.E. Mediterranean language, possibly Semitic (cf. Phoenician pagh "half-ripe fig"). Earlier borrowed directly into O.E. from L. as fic. The insulting sense of the word in Shakespeare, etc. (A fig for ...) is 1570s, from Gk. and It. use of their versions of the word as slang for "cunt," apparently because of how a ripe fig looks when split open. Giving the fig (Fr. faire la figue, Sp. dar la higa) was an indecent gesture of ancient provenance, made by putting the thumb between two fingers or into the mouth. See sycophant. Use of fig leaf in figurative sense of "flimsy disguise" (1550s) is from Gen. iii.7.
fight (v.): O.E. feohtan "to fight" (class III strong verb; past tense feaht, pp. fohten), from P.Gmc. *fekhtanan (cf. O.H.G. fehtan, Du. vechten, O.Fris. fiuhta), from PIE *pek- "to pluck out" (wool or hair), apparently with a notion of "pulling roughly." Spelling substitution of -gh- for a "hard H" sound was a M.E. scribal habit, especially before -t-. In some late O.E. examples, the middle consonant was represented by a yogh. Related: Fighting. The noun is from O.E. feohte, gefeoht.
fighter: O.E. feohtere; see fight. Meaning "fast military airplane used for combat" is from 1917.
figment: early 15c., from L. figmentum "something formed or fashioned, creation," related to figura "shape" (see figure (n.)).
figurative: late 14c., from Fr. figuratif, from L.L. figurativus, from figurare (see figure). Of speech, language, etc., "involving figures of speech," from 1845. Related: Figuratively.
figure (n.): early 13c., from O.Fr. figure, from L. figura "a shape, form, figure," from PIE *dheigh- "to form, build" (see dough); originally in English with meaning "numeral," but sense of "form, likeness" is almost as old (mid-13c.). The verb meaning "to picture in the mind" is from c.1600. Related: Figured; figuring. Philosophical and scientific senses are from L. figura being used to translate Gk. skhema. The rhetorical use of figure dates to late 14c.; hence figure of speech (1824).
figurehead: 1765, from figure + head. Originally the ornament on the bow of a ship; sense of "leader without real authority" is first attested 1883.
figurine: 1854, dim. of figure.
filament: 1594, from Mod.L. filamentum, from L.L. filare "to spin, draw out in a long line," from L. filum "thread" (see file (v.)).
filbert: "hazelnut," 1393, from Anglo-Norm. philber (1292), from Norman dialect noix de filbert, in allusion to St. Philbert, 7c. Frank. abbot, so called because the hazel nuts ripen near his feast day, Aug. 22.
filch: "steal," 1560s, slang, perhaps from c.1300 filchen "to snatch, take as booty," of unknown origin. Related: Filched; filching.
file (v.): "to place (papers) in consecutive order for future reference," late 15c., from M.Fr. filer "string documents on a wire for preservation or reference," from fil "thread, string," from L. filum "thread," from PIE base *gwhis-lom (cf. Armenian jil "sinew, string, line," Lith. gysla "vein, sinew," O.C.S. zila "vein"). The notion is of documents hung up on a line like drying laundry. Methods have become more sophisticated, but the word has stuck. The noun first attested in Eng. in the military sense, "line or row of men," 1590s, from M.Fr. filer in the sense of "spin out (thread), march in file." Related: Filed; filing. The noun meaning "arranged collection of papers" is from 1620s; computer sense is from 1954.
file (n.): "metal tool," O.E. feol (Mercian fil), from P.Gmc. *finkhlo (cf. O.H.G. fila, M.Du. vile, Ger. Feile), probably from PIE *pik-/*peik- "cut" (cf. Skt. pimsati "hews out, carves," L. pingere "to paint," O.C.S. pila "file, saw," Lith. pela "file;" see paint). The verb in this sense is from early 13c. Related: Filed; filing.
filet: 1841, reborrowing from Fr. of the same word that had been taken 14c. and Anglicized as fillet (q.v.). Filet mignon first recorded in Eng. 1906 in writings of O. Henry.
filial: 1393, from M.Fr. filial, from L.L. filialis "of a son or daughter," from L. filius "son," filia "daughter," possibly from a suffixed form of PIE root *bheue- "to be, exist, grow" (see be), though *dhe(i)- "to suck, suckle" (see fecund) "is more likely" [Watkins].
filiation: 1520s, from Fr. filiation, from M.L. filiationem, noun of action from filiare.
filibuster (n.): 1580s, flibutor "pirate," probably ultimately from Du. vrijbuiter "freebooter," used of pirates in the West Indies as Sp. filibustero and Fr. flibustier, either or both of which gave the word to Amer.Eng. (see freebooter). Used 1850s and '60s of lawless adventurers from the U.S. who tried to overthrow Central American countries. The legislative sense is first recorded c.1851, probably because obstructionist legislators "pirated" debate. Not technically restricted to U.S. Senate, but that's where the strategy works best. Related: Filibustered; filibustering.
filicide: 1660s, “action of killing a son or daughter,” from L. filius, filia “son, daughter” (see filial). Meaning “one who kills a son or daughter” is from 1823. Related: Filicidal.
filigree: 1690s, shortening of filigreen (1660s), from Fr. filigrane "filigree," from It. filigrana, from L. filum "thread" + granum "grain." Related: Filigreed.
Filipino: 1898 (fem. Filipina), from Sp., from las Islas Filipinas "the Philippine Islands."
fill (v.): O.E. fyllan, from P.Gmc. *fullijan (cf. O.S. fulljan, O.N. fylla, O.Fris. fella, Du. vullen, Ger. füllen "to fill"), a derivative of adj. *fullaz "full." The related noun meaning "a full supply" is M.E. fille, from O.E. fylle. To fill the bill (1882) was originally U.S. theatrical slang, in reference to a star whose name would be the only one on a show's poster. Related: Filled; filling.
filler: late 15c., “one who fills,” agent noun from fill (v.). Meaning “Something used to fill” is from 1590s. Specifically of food products by 1901.
fillet: early 14c., "headband," from O.Fr. filet, dim. of fil "thread." Sense of "cut of meat or fish" is early 15c., apparently so called because it was prepared by being tied up with a string.
fillip: 1530, philippen "to flip something with the fingers, snap the fingers," possibly of imitative origin.
filly: 1404, fyly, possibly from O.N. fylja, fem. of foli "foal" (see foal). Slang sense of "young girl" is from 1616.
film: O.E. filmen "membrane, skin," from W.Gmc. *filminjan (cf. O.Fris. filmene "skin," O.E. fell "hide"), extended from P.Gmc. *fello(m) "animal hide," from PIE *pello-/*pelno- (cf. Gk. pella, L. pellis "skin"). Sense of "a thin coat of something" is 1577, extended by 1845 to the coating of chemical gel on photographic plates. By 1895 this also meant the coating plus the paper or celluloid. First used of "motion pictures" in 1905. The verb "to make a movie of" is from 1899.
film noir: 1958, from Fr. film noir, lit. "black film."
filmography: 1962, from film + ending from bibliography, etc.
filmy: c.1600, from film + -y (2). Related: Filminess.
filter (n.): c.1400, from M.L. filtrum "felt," which was used to strain impurities from liquid, from W.Gmc. *filtiz (see felt). Of cigarettes, from 1908. The verb is from 1570s; the figurative sense is from 1830. Related: Filtered; filtering.
filth: O.E. fylð, from P.Gmc. *fulitho, noun derivative of *fulo- "foul" (see foul). A classic case of i-mutation. Moral sense of "obscene" is first recorded 1530s.
filthy: late 12c., fulthe, “corrupt, sinful,” from filth + -y (2). Meaning “physically unclean” is from late 14c. Related: Filthiness.
filtrate: 1610s, probably a back formation from filtration.
filtration: c.1600, perhaps from Fr. filtration (1570s), from filter “to filter” (see filter).
fin: O.E. fin, from P.Gmc. *finno (cf. M.L.G. vinne, Du. vin), perhaps from L. pinna "feather, wing," or, less likely, from L. spina "thorn, spine" (see spike (n.1)). U.S. underworld slang sense of "$5 bill" is 1925, from Yiddish finif "five," from Ger. fünf. The same word had been used in England 1868 to mean "five pound note" (earlier finnip, 1839).
fin de siecle: 1890, from Fr. fin de siècle "end of century," phrase used as an adj. At the time it meant "modern;" now it means "from the 1890s." "App. first in title of a comedy, Paris fin de siècle, produced at the Gymnase, Feb. 1890" [Weekley].
finagle: 1926, Amer.Eng., possibly a variant of English dial. fuinaigue "to cheat or renege" (at cards), of unknown origin. Related: Finagled; finagling.
final: early 14c., from L. finalis "of or pertaining to an end," from finis "end" (see finish). Finalist "competitor remaining after eliminations" is from 1898.
final solution: 1947, translation of Ger. Endlösungihame, name given to Nazi Jewish policy from 1941.
finale: 1783, borrowed as a musical term from It. finale "final," from L. finalis "final," from finis "end" (see finish).
finalise: British spelling of finalize. For suffix, see -ize.
finality: 1540s, from M.Fr. finalité, from L.L. finalitatem (nom. finalitas), from L. finalis (see final).
finalize: 1922, Australian Eng., from final + -ize. Related: Finalized; finalizing.
finally: late 14c., fynaly, from final + -ly (2).
finals: short for final exams, by 1890.
finance (n.): c.1400, "an end," from M.Fr. finance "ending, settlement of a debt," from M.L. finis "a payment in settlement, fine or tax," from L. finis "end" (see finish). The notion is of "ending" (by satisfying) something that is due (cf. Gk. telos "end;" pl. tele "services due, dues exacted by the state, financial means." See also fine (n.)). The French senses gradually were brought into English: "ransom" (mid-15c.), "taxation" (late 15c.); the sense of "manage money" first recorded in English 1770. The verb, in the capital sense, is recorded from 1827. Related: Financed; financing.
finances: "pecuniary resources," 1730, modeled on the French cognate, from pl. of finance.
financial: 1760s, from finance + -al (1). Related: Financially.
financier: 1610s, from Fr. financier, agent noun (see finance). Originally of French tax farmers; sense of "capitalist" is first recorded 1867.
finch: O.E. finc, from P.Gmc. *finkiz, *finkjon (cf. Du. vink, O.H.G. finco, Ger. Fink), perhaps imitative of the bird's note (cf. Breton pint "chaffinch," Rus. penka "wren").