Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “waifu” come from?

waifu (English) comes from Japanese ワイフ, from English wife, from Middle English wyf, from Old English wīf, from Proto-West Germanic wīb, from Proto-Germanic wībą, from Proto-Indo-European gʰwíh₂bʰ- — shame, pudenda.

waifu (English): A fictional female character from non-live-action...

Definitions

  1. A fictional female character from non-live-action...

Ancestry of “waifu”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Japaneseワイフwife
2EnglishwifeA married woman, especially in relation to her...
3Middle EnglishwyfAlternative form of wif
4Old Englishwīfwife; woman, female, lady, wife; female
5Proto-West Germanicwībwoman; wife
6Proto-Germanicwībąwoman; wife
7Proto-Indo-Europeangʰwíh₂bʰ-shame, pudenda
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʰwíh₂bʰ- →