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fame

(fām)

a. The state of being widely known, widely recognized, or of great popular interest: a singer of international fame.

b. Public estimation; reputation: a politician of ill fame.

2. Archaic Rumor.

tr.v. famed, fam·ing, fames

1. To make renowned or famous.

2. Archaic To report to be: "The fancy cannot cheat so well / As she is famed to do" (John Keats).

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin fāma; see bhā-² in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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