Where does “stepmama” come from?

stepmama (English) comes from English step, from English stepchild, from Middle English stepchild, from Old English stēopċild, from Old English ċild, from Proto-Germanic kelþaz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵelt-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵel- — to swallow; swallow.

stepmama (English): stepmother

Definitions

  1. stepmother

Ancestry of “stepmama”, step by step

stepmama traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishstepAn advance or movement made from one foot to the...
2EnglishstepchildThe child of one's spouse but not one's own; A...
3Middle Englishstepchildstepchild child of a spouse
4Old Englishstēopċildstepchild
5Old Englishċildchild, youth; fetus; female baby; child
6Proto-Germanickelþazfetus; newborn; infant; child
7Proto-Indo-Europeanǵelt-womb
8Proto-Indo-Europeanǵel-to swallow; swallow

via English mama

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmamaMother, female parent
2Xhosaumamamom, mother
3Proto-Bantu*mààmá
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵel-
stepmama — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer