Etymology

The origin of this unusual ME n. remains obscure, but several factors point to an unattested ON etymon: this is the first recorded occurrence in OED and MED, the word is only recorded in N and EM dial before MnE, and the nearest comparandum is Norw fogg (fjagg, fjogg, fugg) 'long-stalked, weak, scattered grass'.

PGmc Ancestor

Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)

(ONP )

Other Scandinavian Reflexes

Norw fogg, fjagg, fjogg, fugg

OE Cognate

Phonological and morphological markers

Summary category

D1c

Attestation

This is the earliest of only a few 15c. citations in OED and MED, all of which come from N or EM dial. The word is more widespread in MnE (see EDD, OED).

Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus

Cl 1683

Bibliography

MED fogge (n.) , OED fog (n.1) , HTOED , EDD fog (sb. 1 and v.1), Torp Fogg