Fries

Meaning

Noun

1. (masculine) a Frisian, member of a Germanic people (both the modern people and the ancient Frisii); a speaker of one of the Frisian languages
2. (masculine) a West Frisian specifically; a speaker of the West Frisian language
3. (masculine) Short form for various names relating to Friesland or Frisians, such as the bovine race.

Adj

1. Frisian (any member of the Frisian people)
2. West Frisian specifically (of the Frisian part of the Netherlands)

Name

1. (neuter) Frisian (any of the Frisian languages)
2. (neuter) specifically, West Frisian

Concepts

Frisian

Western Frisian

Fries

🍟

frieze

West Frisian

Friesic

Synonyms

Friese

Westerlauwers Fries

Frieslands

Translations

frisone

frison

frisón

Friesisch

frisó

Frison

Friese

frísio

frisão

frisio

friesisch

Φριζιακά

Westfriesisch

frison occidental

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈfris/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle Dutch: Friese

Inherited from Old Dutch: *Frieso

Cognate with Latin: Frisii

In summary

From Middle Dutch Friese, but also Vriese, Vrese, from Old Dutch *Frieso, probably via Old Saxon *Frēso. Borrowed and re-borrowed, at varying times in history, from Old Frisian Frēsa, Frīsa (modern West Frisian Fries). Probably ultimately from Proto-Germanic *frisaz (“curly, frizzy”), named for their curly hair. Also compare Latin Frisii.
Initial v- is expected from natural development from Old Dutch, in which voicing of initial f- to v- occurs naturally. The modern form with f- is probably influenced by the Frisian endonym. However, the original voiced consonant is retained in the common surname de Vries.