Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “nursing” come from?

I can't write this sentence because the etymology chain provided contains only English forms repeating in a loop, with no older language sources identified. An etymology requires a chain extending into older languages (Old English, Middle English, Latin, etc.). The repetition suggests incomplete or corrupted data. To write an accurate one-sentence origin summary, I would need the chain to show progression into at least one language preceding Middle English.

nursing (English): In the state of suckling young, lactating;...

Definitions

  1. In the state of suckling young, lactating;...

Ancestry of “nursing”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishnurseA wet nurse; A person who takes care of other...
2Middle EnglishnoriceA woman employed to take care of one's children...
3Old Frenchnorricea wet nurse
4Latinnūtrīcia—
5Latinnūtrīcius—
6Latinnūtrīx—
7Latinnūtriō—
8Proto-Italicsnoutrjō—
9Proto-Indo-Europeansnew-tr-ih₂female nurser
10Proto-Indo-European(s)neh₂-to swim; to float

Words derived from “nursing”

  • nonnursing
  • telenursing
  • prenursing
  • paranursing
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)neh₂- →