Where does “sister” come from?
sister (Middle English) comes from Old English sweoster, from Proto-Germanic swestēr, from Proto-Indo-European swésōr, from Proto-Indo-European su-h₁ésh₂-ōr, from Proto-Indo-European h₁ésh₂r̥ — blood.
sister (Middle English): Alternative form of suster
Definitions
- Alternative form of suster
Ancestry of “sister”, step by step
sister traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Old English sweoster
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | sweoster | Alternative form of sweostor |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | swestēr | sister |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | swésōr | sister |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | su-h₁ésh₂-ōr | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁ésh₂r̥ | blood |
via Middle English suster
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | suster | A sister or step-sister; a female sibling |
| 2 | Old English | sweostor | sister |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | *swester | sister |
via Old English swustor
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | swustor | — |