Where does “stepdame” come from?
stepdame (English) comes from Middle English dame, from Old French dame, from Late Latin domna, from Latin domina, from Latin Dominus, from Latin domus, from Proto-Italic domos, from Proto-Indo-European dṓm — to build; to arrange, to put together.
stepdame (English): A stepmother
Ancestry of “stepdame”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | dame | — |
| 2 | Old French | dame | lady; woman |
| 3 | Late Latin | domna | lady, mistress |
| 4 | Latin | domina | lady or mistress of the house |
| 5 | Latin | Dominus | the Lord; Lord; The Lord |
| 6 | Latin | domus | house, home; any building or abode; native place,... |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | domos | house, home |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | dṓm | home; house |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | dem- | to build; to arrange, to put together |