Old English frogga, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vors and German Frosch. Used as a general term of abuse in Middle English, the term was applied specifically to the Dutch in the 17th cent.; its application to the French (late 18th cent.) is partly alliterative, partly from the reputation of the French for eating frogs' legsearly 18th cent.: perhaps a use of frog, influenced by synonymous Italian forchetta or French fourchette 'small fork', because of the shapeearly 17th cent.: perhaps from frog
