Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “cuckolder” come from?

cuckolder (English) comes from English cuckold, from Middle English cokolde, from Old French cucuault, from Frankish -wald, from Frankish wald, from Proto-Germanic waldaz, from Proto-Germanic waldaną, from Proto-Indo-European waldʰ- — to be strong, be powerful, prevail, possess.

cuckolder (English): A male of certain kinds of fish that interrupts a...

Definitions

  1. A male of certain kinds of fish that interrupts a...

Ancestry of “cuckolder”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcuckoldA man married to an unfaithful wife, especially...
2Middle Englishcokolde—
3Old Frenchcucuaulta cuckold
4Frankish-wald—
5Frankishwaldpower, mastery, dominion; reigning; ruling
6Proto-Germanicwaldazleader
7Proto-Germanicwaldanąto rule
8Proto-Indo-Europeanwaldʰ-to be strong, be powerful, prevail, possess
Every word from Proto-Indo-European waldʰ- →