Where does “ploughwoman” come from?
ploughwoman (English) comes from English Plough, from Middle English plouh, from Old English plōh, from Old Frisian plōg, from Proto-Germanic plōgaz, from Proto-Celtic ɸlowyos, from Proto-Indo-European plówyos, from Proto-Indo-European plew- — to fly, flow, run.
ploughwoman (English): Alternative spelling of plowwoman
Definitions
- Alternative spelling of plowwoman
Ancestry of “ploughwoman”, step by step
ploughwoman traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Plough
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Plough | The brightest seven stars of the constellation Ursa Major. They are Alkaid, Mizar, Alioth, Megrez, Dubhe, Merak, and Phecda |
| 2 | Middle English | plouh | — |
| 3 | Old English | plōh | hide of land, ploughland |
| 4 | Old Frisian | plōg | troop, common interest |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | plōgaz | plough |
| 6 | Proto-Celtic | ɸlowyos | rudder |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | plówyos | ship |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | plew- | to fly, flow, run |
via English woman
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | woman | An adult female human; All female humans... |
| 2 | Middle English | womman | An female adult person; a woman; The female sex... |
| 3 | Old English | wīfmann | woman; female servant; woman |
| 4 | Old English | mann | person; man meaning mankind; man meaning adult... |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | mann | person, human |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | *mann- | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | men- | to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,... |