Where does “feminine” come from?
Feminine comes from Middle English femynyne, from Old French feminin, from Latin femininus, derived from the feminine suffix -inus and the Proto-Indo-European root dʰeh₁(y)- meaning to suckle or nurse.
feminine (English): Of or pertaining to the female gender; womanly;...
Definitions
- Of or pertaining to the female gender; womanly;...
Ancestry of “feminine”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | femynyne | — |
| 2 | Old French | feminin | — |
| 3 | Latin | femininus | feminine; of or relating to the feminine gender |
| 4 | Latin | -inus | Of or pertaining to; -ine |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | -īnos | of/belonging to |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -iHnos | Creates adjectives of materials |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -no- | adjectival suffix |
Words derived from “feminine”