Where does “fem-” come from?
fem- (English) comes from English feminine, from Middle English femynyne, from Old French feminin, from Latin femininus, from Latin -inus, from Proto-Italic -īnos, from Proto-Indo-European -iHnos, from Proto-Indo-European -no- — adjectival suffix.
fem- (English): Of or pertaining to femininity or women
Definitions
- Of or pertaining to femininity or women
Ancestry of “fem-”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | feminine | Of or pertaining to the female gender; womanly;... |
| 2 | Middle English | femynyne | female of feminine sex or gender |
| 3 | Old French | feminin | — |
| 4 | Latin | femininus | feminine; of or relating to the feminine gender |
| 5 | Latin | -inus | Of or pertaining to; -ine |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | -īnos | of/belonging to |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -iHnos | Creates adjectives of materials |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -no- | adjectival suffix |