Where does “mum-in-law” come from?
mum-in-law (English) comes from English mum, from English chrysanthemum, from Latin chrysanthemum, from Ancient Greek χρυσάνθεμον, from Ancient Greek ἄνθεμον — flower, rosette.
mum-in-law (English): mother-in-law
Definitions
- mother-in-law
Ancestry of “mum-in-law”, step by step
mum-in-law traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English mum
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | mum | Mother; ma'am; a term of respect for an older... |
| 2 | English | chrysanthemum | Any of many flowering perennial plants, of the... |
| 3 | Latin | chrysanthemum | — |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | χρυσάνθεμον | gold-flower; immortelle; buttercup |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ἄνθεμον | flower, rosette |
via English in-law
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | in-law | A relative by marriage (or through affinity) |
| 2 | English | -in-law | Related through marriage |
| 3 | English | mother-in-law | The mother of one's spouse; A mother-in-law... |
| 4 | Middle English | moder in lawe | mother-in-law |