Where does “songstress” come from?
songstress (English) comes from English songster, from Middle English songster, from Old English sangestre, from Old English -estre, from Proto-West Germanic *-astrijā.
songstress (English): A female singer; A female songbird
Definitions
- A female singer; A female songbird
Ancestry of “songstress”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | songster | A man who sings songs, especially as a... |
| 2 | Middle English | songster | — |
| 3 | Old English | sangestre | singer |
| 4 | Old English | -estre | female agent suffix, especially denoting one who... |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | *-astrijā | — |