Etymograph

English

strife

Strife comes from Old French estrif ‘quarrel’, from estriver ‘to compete’, and ultimately from Frankish *strīban.

  1. Frankishc. 250–700*strīban1next step skipped: Old French estrit
  2. Old Frenchc. 842–1400estriver1‘to compete’
  3. Old Frenchc. 842–1400estrif1‘quarrel’
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500strif1‘conflict’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1590strife1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English strife
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1590, Edmund Spenser, (please specify the book): “He ſpide lamenting her unlucky ſtrife,”.

Lineage

  1. Frankishc. 250–700*strībanWiktionary, English strifenext step skipped: Old French estrit
  2. Old Frenchc. 842–1400estriverWiktionary, English strife‘to compete’
  3. Old Frenchc. 842–1400estrifWiktionary, English strife‘quarrel’
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500strifWiktionary, English strife‘conflict’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1590strifeWiktionary, English strife. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1590, Edmund Spenser, (please specify the book): “He ſpide lamenting her unlucky ſtrife,”

Linked words

through Old French estriver ‘to compete’

strive

Today it means

noun Striving; earnest endeavor; hard work.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “strife”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Frankish *strīban / strife

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