Where does “unfather” come from?

unfather (English) comes from English father, from Middle English fader, from Old English fæder, from Proto-West Germanic fader, from Proto-Germanic fadēr, from Proto-Indo-European ph₂tḗr, from Proto-Indo-European peh₂- — to protect; to shepherd.

unfather (English): A man who is not a father

Definitions

  1. A man who is not a father

Ancestry of “unfather”, step by step

unfather traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English father

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfatherA male who begets a child; A male ancestor more...
2Middle EnglishfaderA father; the male direct ancestor of someone or...
3Old Englishfæderfather
4Proto-West Germanicfaderfather
5Proto-Germanicfadērfather
6Proto-Indo-Europeanph₂tḗrfather
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₂-to protect; to shepherd

via English un

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishunOne
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₂-Every word from Proto-Indo-European ph₂tḗrEvery word from Proto-Germanic fadēr