Etymology Explorer › Dutch

Where does “wijf” come from?

wijf (Dutch) comes from Middle Dutch wijf, from Old Dutch wīf, from Proto-Germanic wībą, from Proto-Indo-European gʰwíh₂bʰ- — shame, pudenda.

wijf (Dutch): woman, potentially being as pejorative as bitch;...

Definitions

  1. woman, potentially being as pejorative as bitch;...

Ancestry of “wijf”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Dutchwijfwoman; wife, married woman
2Old Dutchwīf—
3Proto-Germanicwībąwoman; wife
4Proto-Indo-Europeangʰwíh₂bʰ-shame, pudenda

Words derived from “wijf”

  • bijwijfschap
  • tweewijverij
  • eenwijverij
  • viswijf
  • klerewijf
  • veelwijverij
  • bijwijf
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʰwíh₂bʰ- →