Where does “child-in-law” come from?
child-in-law (English) comes from English Child, from Middle English childen, from Middle English -en, from Old English -en, from Old Norse -inn, from Proto-Norse -īna-, from Proto-Germanic -īnaz, from Proto-Indo-European -iHnos — adjectival suffix.
child-in-law (English): A spouse of one's child; a son-in-law or daughter-in-law
Definitions
- A spouse of one's child; a son-in-law or daughter-in-law
Ancestry of “child-in-law”, step by step
child-in-law traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Child
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Child | Alternative letter-case form of child "often used... |
| 2 | Middle English | childen | To deliver a child; to beget or procreate; To... |
| 3 | Middle English | -en | Denotes the past participle form when attached to... |
| 4 | Old English | -en | mæġþ + API → mæġden; cocc + API → cycen, cicen;... |
| 5 | Old Norse | -inn | Used to create adjectives from nouns, meaning... |
| 6 | Proto-Norse | -īna- | — |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | -īnaz | -en |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -iHnos | Creates adjectives of materials |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | -no- | adjectival suffix |
via English in-law
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | in-law | A relative by marriage (or through affinity) |
| 2 | English | -in-law | Related through marriage |
| 3 | English | mother-in-law | The mother of one's spouse; A mother-in-law... |
| 4 | Middle English | moder in lawe | mother-in-law |