Where does “Mannweib” come from?
Mannweib (German) comes from German mann, from Middle High German man, from Old High German man, from Proto-Germanic *mann-, from Proto-Indo-European men- — to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,...
Mannweib (German): manly woman
Definitions
- manly woman
Ancestry of “Mannweib”, step by step
Mannweib traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via German mann
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | mann | man, male human being |
| 2 | Middle High German | man | man |
| 3 | Old High German | man | man |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | *mann- | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | men- | to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,... |
via Ancient Greek ἀνδρόγυνος
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ancient Greek | ἀνδρόγυνος | hermaphrodite; a man who is womanish, weak,... |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | ἀνδρός | genitive singular of ἀνήρ; man; of man |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ἀνήρ | man; husband; human being, as opposed to a god |
| 4 | Proto-Hellenic | *anḗr | man |