Etymology Explorer › German

Where does “Frau” come from?

Frau (German) comes from Middle High German vrouwe, from Old High German frouwa, from Proto-West Germanic *frauwjā, from Proto-Germanic frawjǭ, from Proto-Indo-European proHwo-, from Proto-Indo-European per-, from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós — passed , crossed.

Frau (German): woman; wife; Mrs/Ms, which has nearly replaced...

Definitions

  1. woman; wife; Mrs/Ms, which has nearly replaced...

Ancestry of “Frau”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germanvrouwe—
2Old High Germanfrouwalady
3Proto-West Germanic*frauwjā—
4Proto-Germanicfrawjǭlady, wife of a lord
5Proto-Indo-EuropeanproHwo-master, judge; right judge, master
6Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

Words derived from “Frau”

  • Jungfrau
  • frau
  • Hausfrau
  • Liebfraumilch
  • fraus
  • house frau
  • фрау
  • Buhfrau
  • frau
  • fraulich
  • Frauchen
  • entjungfern
  • Jungfer
  • Hausfrau
  • Frauenversammlung
  • Jungfernflug
  • Sauberfrau
  • Frauenärztin
  • Frauenarzt
  • Feuerwehrfrau
  • Jungfrau
  • Ersatzfrau
  • Geschäftsfrau
  • Ehefrau
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →