O.E. findan "come upon, alight on" (class III strong verb; past tense fand, pp. funden), from P.Gmc. *finthanan (cf. O.S. findan, O.N. finna, M.Du. vinden, Ger. finden, Goth. finşan), originally "to come upon," perhaps from PIE *pent- "to go, pass, path, bridge" (cf. O.H.G. fendeo "pedestrian," Skt. panthah "path, way," Avestan panta "way," Gk. pontos "open sea," L. pons (gen. pontis) "bridge," O.C.S. poti "path," peta "heel"). To find out “to discover by scrutiny” is from 1550s. The noun meaning "person or thing discovered" is from 1825, from the verb.