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
- A married woman, especially in relation to her...
Ancestry of “wife”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | wyf | Alternative form of wif |
| 2 | Old English | wīf | wife; woman, female, lady, wife; female |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | wīb | woman; wife |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | wībą | woman; wife |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰwíh₂bʰ- | shame, pudenda |
Words derived from “wife”