'friend' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'frēond', where 'frēo-' meant 'to love' and '-nd' was a suffix indicating an agent.

'frēond' changed from Old English to Middle English 'frend' and eventually became the modern English word 'friend'.

Initially, it meant 'one who loves or is loved', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection'.