Where does “ladyfolk” come from?
ladyfolk (English) comes from English folk, from German volk, from Middle High German volc, from Old High German folc, from Proto-West Germanic folk, from Proto-Germanic fulką, from Proto-Indo-European pleh₁- — to fill.
ladyfolk (English): Women
Definitions
- Women
Ancestry of “ladyfolk”, step by step
ladyfolk traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English folk
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | folk | Of or pertaining to the inhabitants of a land,... |
| 2 | German | volk | people, nation, folk, tribe, race group united by culture, history, descent, and/or language |
| 3 | Middle High German | volc | — |
| 4 | Old High German | folc | folk; people collectively, nation; people, nation |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | folk | people, tribe |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | fulką | people; tribe |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pleh₁- | to fill |
via English lady
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | lady | The mistress of a household; A woman of breeding... |
| 2 | Middle English | lady | A woman with authority or leadership |
| 3 | Old English | hlǣfdīġe | bread-kneader; mistress of a household, wife of a... |
| 4 | Old English | hlāf | bread, loaf; bread, loaf, morsel; loaf, cake,... |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | hlaib | bread, loaf |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | hlaibaz | bread |