afraid

Meaning

Adjective

• Impressed with fear or apprehension; in fear.
• Regretful, sorry.
• Worried about, feeling concern for, fearing for (someone or something).

Origin

• From Middle English affrayed, affraied, past participle of afraien, from Anglo-Norman afrayer, from Old French effreer, esfreer, from , from Frankish *friþu, from Proto-Germanic *friþuz, from Proto-Germanic *frijōną, from Proto-Indo-European *prāy-, *prēy-. Synchronically analyzable as affray#Verb + -ed. Compare also afeard. More at free, friend.