Where does “schoolma'am” come from?
schoolma'am (English) comes from English ma’am, from English madam, from Middle English madame, from Old French madame, from Old French dame, from Late Latin domna, from Latin domina, from Latin Dominus — to build; to arrange, to put together.
schoolma'am (English): schoolmarm
Definitions
- schoolmarm
Ancestry of “schoolma'am”, step by step
schoolma'am traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English ma’am
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ma’am | A polite and formal way to address a woman |
| 2 | English | madam | "Mrs Grey wondered if the outfit she was trying... |
| 3 | Middle English | madame | madam polite term of address or (less often) title for a noble lady |
| 4 | Old French | madame | — |
| 5 | Old French | dame | lady; woman |
| 6 | Late Latin | domna | lady, mistress |
| 7 | Latin | domina | lady or mistress of the house |
| 8 | Latin | Dominus | the Lord; Lord; The Lord |
| 9 | Latin | domus | house, home; any building or abode; native place,... |
| 10 | Proto-Italic | domos | house, home |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | dṓm | home; house |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | dem- | to build; to arrange, to put together |
via English school
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | school | A group of fish or a group of marine mammals such... |
| 2 | Middle English | scole | school |
| 3 | Old English | scōl | place of education |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | *skōlu | — |
| 5 | Latin | schola | Leisure time given to learning; schooltime,... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | σχολή | leisure, free time; rest; that in which leisure... |
| 7 | Proto-Hellenic | skʰolā́ | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | sǵʰ-h₃-léh₂ | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | seǵʰ- | to hold; to overpower |