Where does “wench” come from?

wench (Middle English) comes from Middle English wenchel, from Old English wenċel, from Proto-Germanic wankilą, from Proto-Germanic wankijaną, from Proto-Indo-European weng- — to bend, bow, arch, curve; to bow, be bent; to...

Ancestry of “wench”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishwenchelgirl; maiden; child
2Old Englishwenċelchild
3Proto-Germanicwankilą—
4Proto-Germanicwankijanąto sway; to sway; waver
5Proto-Indo-Europeanweng-to bend, bow, arch, curve; to bow, be bent; to...

Words derived from “wench”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European weng- →Every word from Proto-Germanic wankijaną →Every word from Proto-Germanic wankilą →