Where does “vierge” come from?
vierge (French) comes from Middle French verge, from Old French vergé, from Latin virgatus, from Latin virga, from Proto-Italic wizgā, from Proto-Indo-European wisgeh₂ — flexible rod or stick.
vierge (French): virgin; blank
Definitions
- virgin; blank
Ancestry of “vierge”, step by step
vierge traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle French verge
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | verge | rod; stick; staff; female virgin |
| 2 | Old French | vergé | virgate |
| 3 | Latin | virgatus | made of twigs; striped |
| 4 | Latin | virga | twig, young shoot; rod, switch for flogging;... |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | wizgā | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wisgeh₂ | flexible rod or stick |
via Latin virgō
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | virgō | — |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | παρθένος | maidenly; chaste; young, unmarried woman; maiden |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | pstḗn | breast, teat |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ph₂ǵ-sth₂-ḗn | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | steh₂- | to stand |