Where does “stepbairn” come from?
stepbairn (English) comes from Middle English stepbarn, from Old English stēopbearn, from Proto-West Germanic *steupabarn, from Proto-Germanic steupabarną, from Proto-Germanic steupa-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)tewp-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)tew- — to push, to hit.
stepbairn (English): A stepchild
Definitions
- A stepchild
Ancestry of “stepbairn”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | stepbarn | orphan |
| 2 | Old English | stēopbearn | stepchild |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | *steupabarn | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | steupabarną | stepchild |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | steupa- | step- |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)tewp- | to push, to stick |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)tew- | to push, to hit |