1670s, "a bottom, the bottom; foundation, groundwork," from French fond "a bottom, floor, ground" (12c.), also "a merchant's basic stock or capital," from Latin fundus "bottom, foundation, piece of land," from PIE root *bhudh- "bottom, base" (cognates: Sanskrit budhnah, Greek pythmen "foundation, bottom," Old English botm "lowest part;" see bottom, n.). Meaning "stock of money or wealth available for some purpose" is from 1690s; sense of "store of anything to be drawn upon" is from 1704. Funds "money at one's disposal" is from 1728.

1776, "convert (a debt) into capital or stock represented by interest-bearing bonds," from fund, n.. Meaning "supply (someone or something) with money, to finance" is from 1900.