Where does “sheriffess” come from?

sheriffess (English) comes from English Sheriff, from Middle English shirreve, from Old English scīrġerēfa, from Old English sċīr, from Old English burna, from Proto-West Germanic brunnō, from Proto-Germanic brunnô, from Proto-Indo-European bʰréh₁wr̥ — to bear, carry.

sheriffess (English): A female sheriff

Definitions

  1. A female sheriff

Ancestry of “sheriffess”, step by step

sheriffess traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Sheriff

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishSheriff(High Sheriff) An official of a shire or county office, responsible for carrying out court orders, law enforcement and other duties
2Middle EnglishshirreveA sheriff; an individual responsible for a number...
3Old Englishscīrġerēfashire-reeve; sheriff
4Old Englishsċīrbright; shire; county
5Old Englishburnastream
6Proto-West Germanicbrunnōwell, spring
7Proto-Germanicbrunnôsource; wellspring; fountain; brook; stream;...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰréh₁wr̥well, spring, source
9Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰrewh₁-to boil; to brew
10Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰer-to bear, carry

via English ess

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishessThe name of the Latin-script letter S; Something...
2Germanessfirst-person singular present of essen; singular...
3Proto-Germanicatiska-grainfield
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂edos-sort of cereal, grain
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰer-