mid-14c., "action, deeds," from Anglo-French fet, from Old French fait "action, deed, achievement" (12c.), from Latin factum "thing done," a noun based on the past participle of facere "to make, to do," from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put." Sense of "exceptional or noble deed" arose c. 1400 from phrase feat of arms (French fait d'armes).
