Where does “scoutmistress” come from?

scoutmistress (English) comes from English Mistress, from Middle English maistresse, from Old French maistresse, from Old French maistre, from Latin magister, from Proto-Italic magisteros, from Proto-Indo-European méǵh₂isteros, from Proto-Indo-European méǵh₂s — big, great.

scoutmistress (English): A female scoutmaster

Definitions

  1. A female scoutmaster

Ancestry of “scoutmistress”, step by step

scoutmistress traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Mistress

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishMistressUsed as the title of a married woman before her...
2Middle Englishmaistressemistress
3Old Frenchmaistresse
4Old Frenchmaistremaster; Master; magister
5Latinmagisterteacher; master; a title of the Middle Ages,...
6Proto-Italicmagisterosbigger, greater
7Proto-Indo-Europeanméǵh₂isteros
8Proto-Indo-Europeanméǵh₂sbig, great

via English Scout

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishScoutA member of any of various scouting...
2Middle Englishscout
3Old Frenchescouteaction of listening
4Old Frenchescouterto listen
5LatinauscultoI listen, I hear; I heed, I accept, I obey
6Proto-Italic*auskoltā
Every word from Proto-Indo-European méǵh₂sEvery word from Proto-Indo-European méǵh₂isterosEvery word from Proto-Italic magisteros