From Proto-Indo-European *priHyós (“beloved”). The original meaning was probably something like “from one's own clan”, from which a meaning “being a free man, not a serf” developed.
*frijaz
strong declension | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | ||||
singular | plural | singular | plural | singular | plural | |
nominative | *frijaz | *frijai | *frijō | *frijôz | *friją, *-at(ō) | *frijō |
accusative | *frijanǭ | *frijanz | *frijǭ | *frijōz | *friją, *-at(ō) | *frijō |
genitive | *frijas, *frīs | *frijaizǫ̂ | *frijaizōz | *frijaizǫ̂ | *frijas, *frīs | *frijaizǫ̂ |
dative | *frijammai | *frijaimaz | *frijaizōi | *frijaimaz | *frijammai | *frijaimaz |
instrumental | *frijanō | *frijaimiz | *frijaizō | *frijaimiz | *frijanō | *frijaimiz |
weak declension | ||||||
masculine | feminine | neuter | ||||
singular | plural | singular | plural | singular | plural | |
nominative | *frijô | *frijaniz | *frijǭ | *frijōniz | *frijô | *frijōnō |
accusative | *frijanų | *frijanunz | *frijōnų | *frijōnunz | *frijô | *frijōnō |
genitive | *frīniz | *frijanǫ̂ | *frijōniz | *frijōnǫ̂ | *frīniz | *frijanǫ̂ |
dative | *frīni | *frijammaz | *frijōni | *frijōmaz | *frīni | *frijammaz |
instrumental | *frīnē | *frijammiz | *frijōnē | *frijōmiz | *frīnē | *frijammiz |