An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

Something that has actual existence; a piece of information presented as having objective reality. → scientific fact.

Etymology (EN): L. factum “event, occurrence,” literally “something done, deed,” from neut. p.p. of facere “to do” (cf. Fr. faire, Sp. hacer), from PIE base *dhe- “to put, to do” (cf. Mod.Pers. dâdan “to give;” O.Pers./Av. dā- “to give, grant, yield,” dadāiti “he gives; puts;” Skt. dadáti “puts, places;” Hitt. dai- “to place;” Gk. tithenai “to put, set, place;” Lith. deti “to put;” Czech diti, Pol. dziac’, Rus. det’ “to hide,” delat’ “to do;” O.H.G. tuon, Ger. tun, O.E. don “to do”).

Etymology (PE): Bâšâ, from bâš + -â agent suffix; bâš, present stem of budan “to be,” from
Mid.Pers. budan, from O.Pers./Av. bav- “to be; become, take place;” Av. buta- perf. ptcpl. pass., bavaiti “becomes”
(cf. Skt. bhavati “becomes, happens,” bhavah “becoming; condition, state;” PIE *bheu- “to be, come into being, become;”
Gk. phu- “become,” phuein “to bring forth, make grow;” L. fui “I was” (perf. tense of esse), futurus “that is to be, future;” Ger. present first and second person sing. bin, bist; E. to be; Lith. bu’ti “to be;” Rus. byt’ “to be”); budé also from budan.