Where does “archwife” come from?
archwife (English) comes from English arch, from English architecture, from French architecture, from Latin architectūra, from Latin architectus, from Ancient Greek ἀρχιτέκτων, from Ancient Greek τέκτων, from Proto-Hellenic téktōn — to sire, beget.
archwife (English): A big, masculine wife
Definitions
- A big, masculine wife
Ancestry of “archwife”, step by step
archwife traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English arch
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | arch | An inverted U shape; An arch-shaped arrangement... |
| 2 | English | architecture | The art and science of designing and managing the... |
| 3 | French | architecture | architecture |
| 4 | Latin | architectūra | architecture |
| 5 | Latin | architectus | architect, master builder; designer, inventor,... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ἀρχιτέκτων | chief constructor, master builder, architect |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | τέκτων | one who works with wood: carpenter, builder; any... |
| 8 | Proto-Hellenic | téktōn | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | tetḱō | carpenter |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | tetḱ- | to create, produce; to cut, hew |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | teḱ- | to sire, beget |
via English wife
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | wife | A married woman, especially in relation to her... |
| 2 | Middle English | wyf | Alternative form of wif |
| 3 | Old English | wīf | wife; woman, female, lady, wife; female |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | wīb | woman; wife |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | wībą | woman; wife |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰwíh₂bʰ- | shame, pudenda |