Where does “madwoman” come from?
Madwoman derives from English mad and woman, with the feminine suffix -e from Middle English, -ie from Middle French, and -ium from Latin, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European mag-.
madwoman (English): A woman who is insane
Definitions
- A woman who is insane
Ancestry of “madwoman”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | MAD | Initialism of mutually assured destruction;... |
| 2 | Middle English | mad | Mad, insane, deranged; not of sound mind;... |
| 3 | Old English | ġemǣd | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | maidijaną | to exchange, change |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | maidaz | hurt, wounded; mad, foolish; angry, enraged |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | mēy- | soft, tender, dear |