Where does “wifely” come from?
Wifely comes from Old English wīflīc, from Proto-Germanic wībalīkaz, a compound meaning woman-like or of a woman's nature.
wifely (English): Of, befitting, pertaining to, or characteristic...
Definitions
- Of, befitting, pertaining to, or characteristic...
Ancestry of “wifely”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | wifly | — |
| 2 | Old English | wīflīc | womanly, wifely |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | wībalīkaz | wifely |
Words derived from “wifely”