Where does “bogeywoman” come from?
bogeywoman (English) comes from English bogeyman, from English bogey, from Middle English bugge, from Proto-Germanic bugja-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰew- — to grow, swell; to swell, wax, grow; to blow; to...
bogeywoman (English): A female bogeyman
Ancestry of “bogeywoman”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | bogeyman | A menacing, ghost-like monster in children's... |
| 2 | English | bogey | The Devil; A ghost, goblin, or other hostile... |
| 3 | Middle English | bugge | bogy, hobgoblin, bugbear; scarecrow |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | bugja- | swollen up, thick |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰew- | to grow, swell; to swell, wax, grow; to blow; to... |