Where does “enchantress” come from?
Enchantress comes from Old French enchanteresse, meaning a woman who enchants or practices magic, derived from enchanter, the masculine form.
enchantress (English): A woman, especially an attractive one, skilled at...
Definitions
- A woman, especially an attractive one, skilled at...
Ancestry of “enchantress”, step by step
enchantress traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English enchanter
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | enchanter | One who enchants or delights; A spellcaster,... |
| 2 | Middle English | enchantour | Alternative form of enchauntour |
| 3 | Old French | enchanteor | enchanter; specifically one who gives magical... |
| 4 | Latin | incantātor | enchanter, spellcaster, conjurer, wizard |
| 5 | Latin | incantō | to sing |
| 6 | Latin | cantō | to enchant, or call forth by charms, chant |
| 7 | Latin | canō | to sing, recite, play |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | kanō | to sing |
| 9 | Proto-Germanic | kanô | vessel, vat, tub; boat |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | gan- | a vessel, tub; a vessel, vat, tub |
via Middle English enchaunteresse
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | enchaunteresse | enchantress |
| 2 | Old French | enchanteresse | — |