Where does “cowardess” come from?

cowardess (English) comes from English Coward, from Middle English coward, from Old French coart, from Old French -ard, from Frankish -hard, from Proto-Germanic harduz, from Proto-Indo-European kert-, from Proto-Turkic *keŕ- — to travel, tour.

cowardess (English): A female coward

Definitions

  1. A female coward

Ancestry of “cowardess”, step by step

cowardess traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Coward

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishCowardA person who lacks courage
2Middle Englishcowardcoward, knave
3Old Frenchcoarta coward; cowardly
4Old French-ardpejorative agent noun
5Frankish-hardhardy, bold
6Proto-Germanicharduzhard; brave
7Proto-Indo-Europeankert-times; to weave, twist together; time
8Proto-Turkic*keŕ-to travel, tour

via English ess

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishessThe name of the Latin-script letter S; Something...
2Germanessfirst-person singular present of essen; singular...
3Proto-Germanicatiska-grainfield
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂edos-sort of cereal, grain
Every word from Proto-Turkic *keŕ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European kert- →Every word from Proto-Germanic harduz →