Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “soulmate” come from?

Soul mate combines English soul, from French souler and Old French sol, from Latin solidus meaning "solid" or "whole," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots ḱóm and seh₂- meaning "together" and "to bind."

soulmate (English): Someone, especially a romantic partner, with whom...

Definitions

  1. Someone, especially a romantic partner, with whom...

Ancestry of “soulmate”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmatéAn evergreen tree, Ilex paraquariensis, native to...
2Middle Englishmate—
3Middle Low Germanmāte—
4Old Saxongimato—
5Proto-Germanicgamatjô—
6Proto-Germanicga-Indicates association or togetherness; co-;...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
8Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
9Middle Englishkyt—
10Germankitt—
11Old High Germankuti—
12Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
13Proto-Germanickweduzresin
14Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
15Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “soulmate”

  • soulmate
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →