Derivational etymology starting from a middle or passive form. It is not clear whether this is a mistake on the ghost form *φεύδομαι given as an intermediate step in Herodian's etymology (see φείδομαι / φεύγω + δίδωμι) or an alternative etymology implying a passive "to be fled", the parcimonious man being avoided by everyone: in the latter case, the passive voice was abstracted from the middle future φεύξομαι, since φεύγω is never passive in Greek and only the future could suggest something like a passive inflection. In the Pseudo-Zonaras, the text is corrupt.