Where does “housemother” come from?

housemother (English) comes from English mother, from Middle English modren, from Middle English -en, from Old English -en, from Old Norse -inn, from Proto-Norse -īna-, from Proto-Germanic -īnaz, from Proto-Indo-European -iHnos — adjectival suffix.

housemother (English): A woman employed in a residence for young people...

Definitions

  1. A woman employed in a residence for young people...

Ancestry of “housemother”, step by step

housemother traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English mother

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmotherA female who has given birth to a baby; A human...
2Middle Englishmodrenplural of moder
3Middle English-enDenotes the past participle form when attached to...
4Old English-enmæġþ + API → mæġden; cocc + API → cycen, cicen;...
5Old Norse-innUsed to create adjectives from nouns, meaning...
6Proto-Norse-īna-
7Proto-Germanic-īnaz-en
8Proto-Indo-European-iHnosCreates adjectives of materials
9Proto-Indo-European-no-adjectival suffix

via English House

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishHouseA particular chamber of political representation
2Middle Englishhoushouse, residence; house of worship, temple;...
3Old Englishhūsdwelling, shelter, house; house
4Proto-West Germanichūshouse
5Proto-Germanichūsąhouse
6Proto-Indo-European(s)kewH-to cover, bedeck; cover

Words derived from “housemother

Every word from Proto-Indo-European -no-Every word from Middle English -enEvery word from Proto-Germanic -īnaz