Where does “co-wife” come from?
co-wife (English) comes from English co, from English company, from Middle English companye, from Old French compaignie, from Old French compain, from Latin compāniō, from Latin com-, from Latin con- — resin, gum; to say, speak.
co-wife (English): In a polygamous marriage, another wife of a...
Definitions
- In a polygamous marriage, another wife of a...
Ancestry of “co-wife”, step by step
co-wife traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English co
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | co | Clipping of company; they; them |
| 2 | English | company | A team; a group of people who work together... |
| 3 | Middle English | companye | A company, band, small group, or team of people;... |
| 4 | Old French | compaignie | companionship |
| 5 | Old French | compain | Alternative form of compaing; friend; companion |
| 6 | Latin | compāniō | comrade |
| 7 | Latin | com- | allomorph of con- |
| 8 | Latin | con- | Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing... |
| 9 | Latin | cum | with, along with; at; -fold |
| 10 | Old Latin | com | Alternative form of cum |
| 11 | Proto-Italic | kom | with, along, at |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱóm | beside, near, by, with |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱe | Deictic particle, here; Post-positional... |
| 14 | Middle English | kyt | — |
| 15 | German | kitt | putty certain kinds of cement used for fixing e.g. window panes |
| 16 | Old High German | kuti | — |
| 17 | Proto-West Germanic | kwidu | gum, resin |
| 18 | Proto-Germanic | kweduz | resin |
| 19 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷet- | resin, gum; to say, speak |
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 |