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afraid

Pronunciation: /əˈfɹeɪd/

The English word “afraid” has 3 meanings listed here.

adjective

  1. Impressed with fear or apprehension; in fear.
  2. Regretful, sorry; expressing a reluctance to face an unpleasant situation.
  3. Worried about, feeling concern for, fearing for (someone or something).

Etymology

From Middle English affrayed, affraied, past participle of afraien (“to affray”), from Anglo-Norman afrayer (“to terrify, disquiet, disturb”), from Old French effreer, esfreer (“to disturb, remove the peace from”), from es- (“out”) + freer (“to secure, secure the peace”), from Frankish *friþu (“security, peace”), from Proto-Germanic *friþuz (“peace”), from Proto-Germanic *frijōną (“to free; to…

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