Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “levirate marriage” come from?

levirate marriage (English) comes from English marriage, from Middle English mariage, from Old French mariage, from Old French marier, from Latin marītō, from Latin marītus, from Latin mās, from Proto-Nuristani *māsa — to measure.

levirate marriage (English): A marriage in which a widow marries her late...

Definitions

  1. A marriage in which a widow marries her late...

Ancestry of “levirate marriage”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmarriageThe state of being married; A union of two or...
2Middle Englishmariagemarriage
3Old Frenchmariagemarriage; wedding
4Old Frenchmarierto marry; to get married
5Latinmarītō—
6Latinmarītus—
7Latinmās—
8Proto-Nuristani*māsa—
9Proto-Indo-Iranianmā́Hasmoon; month
10Proto-Indo-Europeanmḗh₁n̥smoon; month
11Proto-Indo-Europeanmeh₁-to measure
Every word from Proto-Indo-European meh₁- →