Where does “wench” come from?
Wench comes from Middle English wenche, derived from Middle English wenchel, from Old English wenċel, from Proto-Germanic wankilą and wankijaną, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European weng-.
wench (English): A girl or young woman, especially a buxom or...
Definitions
- A girl or young woman, especially a buxom or...
Ancestry of “wench”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | wench | — |
| 2 | Middle English | wenchel | girl; maiden; child |
| 3 | Old English | wenċel | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | wankilą | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | wankijaną | to sway; to sway; waver |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | weng- | to bend, bow, arch, curve; to bow, be bent; to... |
Words derived from “wench”