- interfere (v.)
- formerly also enterfere, mid-15c., "to strike against," from Middle French enterferir "exchange blows, strike each other," from entre- "between" (see entre-) + ferir "to strike," from Latin ferire "to knock, strike," related to Latin forare "to bore, pierce" (see bore (v.), and compare punch (v.), which has both the senses "to hit" and "to make a hole in").
Figurative sense of "to meddle with, oppose unrightfully" is from 1630s. Related: Interfered; interfering. Modern French interférer is from English.
