Where does “femme fatale” come from?
femme fatale (French) comes from French femme, 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 fatale (French): femme fatale
Definitions
- femme fatale
Ancestry of “femme fatale”, step by step
femme fatale traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via French femme
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | femme | woman; wife; Alternative form of fem |
| 2 | Middle French | femme | wife; woman |
| 3 | Old French | fame | wife, female partner; woman |
| 4 | Latin | fēmina | woman |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | fēmanā | woman |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰeh₁-m̥n-eh₂ | who sucks; one who is sucked; one who suckles;... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰeh₁(y)- | to suckle, nurse |
via French fatale
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | fatale | feminine singular of fatal |