Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “minstreless” come from?

minstreless (English) comes from English minstrel, from Middle English menestrel, from Old French menestral, from Latin ministerialis, from Latin ministerium, from Latin -ium, from Latin -ius, from Proto-Italic -jōs — Creates adjectives from noun or verb stems.

minstreless (English): A female minstrel

Definitions

  1. A female minstrel

Ancestry of “minstreless”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishminstrelA medieval traveling entertainer who would sing...
2Middle Englishmenestrel—
3Old Frenchmenestralentertainer, servant, official
4Latinministerialisservant, employee; ministerial, servants
5Latinministeriumministry; employment, ministration; service
6Latin-iumSuffix used to form abstract nouns, sometimes...
7Latin-iusforming adjectives from nouns; nominative neuter...
8Proto-Italic-jōsForms comparative adjectives
9Proto-Indo-European-yósCreates adjectives from noun or verb stems
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -yós →