Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “wife” come from?

Wife derives from Middle English wif, Old English wīf, Proto-Germanic wībą, and Proto-Indo-European gʰwíh₂bʰ-, a root of uncertain ultimate meaning.

wife (English): A married woman, especially in relation to her...

Definitions

  1. A married woman, especially in relation to her...

Ancestry of “wife”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishwyfAlternative form of wif
2Old Englishwīfwife; woman, female, lady, wife; female
3Proto-West Germanicwībwoman; wife
4Proto-Germanicwībąwoman; wife
5Proto-Indo-Europeangʰwíh₂bʰ-shame, pudenda

Words derived from “wife”

  • fishwife
  • wifey
  • alewife
  • henwife
  • wifebeater
  • wifelike
  • wifeswapping
  • superwife
  • nonwife
  • wifish
  • unwifelike
  • stepwife
  • wifelet
  • wifeling
  • wifekin
  • archwife
  • wifelkin
  • wifebeating
  • hotwife
  • waifu
  • cyberwife
  • merwife
  • ex-wife
  • side-wife
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʰwíh₂bʰ- →