Where does “motheriness” come from?

motheriness (English) comes from English mothery, 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 — adjectival suffix.

motheriness (English): The quality of being mothery

Definitions

  1. The quality of being mothery

Ancestry of “motheriness”, step by step

motheriness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English mothery

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmotheryConsisting of, containing, or resembling mother
2EnglishmotherA female who has given birth to a baby; A human...
3Middle Englishmodrenplural of moder
4Middle English-enDenotes the past participle form when attached to...
5Old English-enmæġþ + API → mæġden; cocc + API → cycen, cicen;...
6Old Norse-innUsed to create adjectives from nouns, meaning...
7Proto-Norse-īna-
8Proto-Germanic-īnaz-en
9Proto-Indo-European-iHnosCreates adjectives of materials
10Proto-Indo-European-no-adjectival suffix

via English Ness

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishNessAn Ulster princess and the mother of Conchobar mac Nessa and Findchoem in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide. Also the mother of Cormac Cond Longas by incest with Conchobar mac Nessa
2Middle Englishnesse
3Old Englishnæsnot, not at all; not; first/third-person singular...
4Proto-Germanicnasjąfoothill; headland; cape
5Proto-Indo-Europeannéh₂snose
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -no-Every word from Middle English -enEvery word from Proto-Germanic -īnaz
motheriness — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer