Where does “Eheweib” come from?
Eheweib (German) comes from German ehe, from Middle High German ēwe, from Old High German ēwa, from Proto-West Germanic aiw, from Proto-Germanic aiwaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eyu-, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ey- — vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning.
Eheweib (German): wife
Definitions
- wife
Ancestry of “Eheweib”, step by step
Eheweib traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via German ehe
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | ehe | before, ere; rather than |
| 2 | Middle High German | ēwe | law |
| 3 | Old High German | ēwa | eternity; law, marriage |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | aiw | long time, age, eternity; law |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | aiwaz | long time, age, eternity |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eyu- | vitality; eternal; vital force, life, long life,... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ey- | vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning |