Where does the F word originate from?

Question

I'm not sure where most swear words originated from. What about the F word, who thought that up. Does it originate from somewhere??

Thank you to everyone who replied. I can't decide which answer is correct so I'll let it go to voting.

Answer 1

It is not an acronym for anything as suggested by other askers. The F-word is a real word derived from 15th century Dutch or Low German. There was not much documentation for this word because it was considered taboo.

Answer 2

Old Norsk speaking Vikings when they encountered Anglo SaxonGermanic language in 5th/6th century, simplified English language developed with four letter words, so the people could speak to each other. F word was possibly one of the first as it would help when the very blunt Vikings had to beg for sex.
Prior to this they just took it, so it was a very progreesive society that first used the F word.

Answer 3

The version I heard had the origin in Legal documentation as an acronym-in a case where a Man had unlawful sex with a Woman the case for the prosecution was " Following Unlawful Carnal Knowledge"

Answer 4

Full Unlawful Carnal Knowledge.

Answer 5

I once heard an anecdote about where that word comes from. According to the anecdote it was first used in WW1. Apparently, if a soldier was found sleeping with a woman, the superior officer would make a note in his record saying the soldier was Found Using Carnal Knowledge. This seemed sensible until I thought about it:

1. Most WW1 soldiers were in all-male, muddy trenches. I seriously doubt they would have had the oppotunity to use their carnal knowledge.

2. Not even a stiff-upper-lipped British officer would refer to someone sleeping with a woman as 'found using carnal knowledge'!!

The word is like many of it's kind - no-one can categorically say where it came from.

Answer 6

It's a Saxon word that comes from the Old High German word that means the same thing in a functional sense. For some reason, German words are considered rude but it's OK to use the words derived from Latin: copulate, defaecate, urinate etc.

Answer 7

I think it originated in Europe and drew punishment and means For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge.

Answer 8

It is Anglo-Saxon (all the 4 letter words are)
It originally ment to to mix milk with flour

Delia Smith how to cook pg 6

Walnut cake,

Add milk eggs and flour...fu.ck vigerously until creamy

Answer 9

Nope, it's
Fornicate Under Command of the King.
Someone else came pretty close too.

Answer 10

It comes from back in the day when the King gave married couples permission to have sex. Fornication under the consent of the King!