Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “father-in-law” come from?

father-in-law (English) comes from Middle English fader in lawe — father-in-law.

father-in-law (English): One's spouse's father; A stepfather

Definitions

  1. One's spouse's father; A stepfather

Ancestry of “father-in-law”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishfader in lawefather-in-law

Words derived from “father-in-law”

  • stepfather-in-law
  • co-father-in-law
Every word from Middle English fader in lawe →