Where does “femme” come from?

femme (French) comes from Middle French femme, from Old French fame, from Latin fēmina, from Proto-Italic fēmanā, from Proto-Indo-European dʰeh₁-m̥n-eh₂, from Proto-Indo-European dʰeh₁(y)- — to suckle, nurse.

femme (French): woman; wife; Alternative form of fem

Definitions

  1. woman; wife; Alternative form of fem

Ancestry of “femme”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchfemmewife; woman
2Old Frenchfamewife, female partner; woman
3Latinfēminawoman
4Proto-Italicfēmanāwoman
5Proto-Indo-Europeandʰeh₁-m̥n-eh₂who sucks; one who is sucked; one who suckles;...
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰeh₁(y)-to suckle, nurse

Words derived from “femme”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰeh₁(y)- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰeh₁-m̥n-eh₂ →Every word from Proto-Italic fēmanā →