Where does “ewe” come from?
Ewe comes from Old English ēowu, from Proto-Germanic awiz, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ówis, a derivative of the root h₂ew- meaning sheep.
ewe (English): A female sheep, as opposed to a ram
Definitions
- A female sheep, as opposed to a ram
Ancestry of “ewe”, step by step
ewe traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English ewe
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | ewe | ewe; Alternative form of ew |
| 2 | Old English | ēowu | ewe |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | awiz | ewe; sheep in general |
| 4 | French | avis | opinion; piece of advice; notice |
| 5 | Middle French | advis | opinion |
| 6 | Dutch | advies | advice |
| 7 | Middle Dutch | avijs | — |
| 8 | Old French | avis | opinion |
| 9 | Old French | a | to; towards; belonging to |
| 10 | Latin | A | — |
| 11 | Etruscan | 𐌀 | and, also |
| 12 | Ancient Greek | ᾱ̔ | — |
| 13 | Phoenician | 𐤀 | ox; aleph; alef |
| 14 | Egyptian | 𓃾 | — |
via Ewe Eʋe
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ewe | Eʋe | Ewe people |