Where does “shriftfather” come from?

shriftfather (English) comes from English shrift, from Old English sċrift, from Old English sċrīfan, from Proto-West Germanic skrīban, from Proto-Germanic skrībaną, from Latin scrībō, from Proto-Italic skreiβō, from Proto-Indo-European skreybʰ- — to write.

shriftfather (English): A confessor; a priest who hears confessions

Definitions

  1. A confessor; a priest who hears confessions

Ancestry of “shriftfather”, step by step

shriftfather traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English shrift

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishshriftThe act of going to or hearing a religious...
2Old Englishsċriftwhat is prescribed as punishment; penalty
3Old Englishsċrīfan1. to decree, pass judgement, prescribe, 2. to...
4Proto-West Germanicskrībanto write
5Proto-Germanicskrībanąto write
6Latinscrībōto write
7Proto-Italicskreiβōto carve
8Proto-Indo-Europeanskreybʰ-to write

via English father

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfatherA male who begets a child; A male ancestor more...
2Middle EnglishfaderA father; the male direct ancestor of someone or...
3Old Englishfæderfather
4Proto-West Germanicfaderfather
5Proto-Germanicfadērfather
6Proto-Indo-Europeanph₂tḗrfather
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₂-to protect; to shepherd
Every word from Proto-Indo-European skreybʰ-Every word from Proto-Italic skreiβōEvery word from Latin scrībō