Where does “wyf” come from?
wyf (Middle English) comes from Old English wīf, from Proto-West Germanic wīb, from Proto-Germanic wībą, from Proto-Indo-European gʰwíh₂bʰ- — shame, pudenda.
wyf (Middle English): Alternative form of wif
Ancestry of “wyf”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | wīf | wife; woman, female, lady, wife; female |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | wīb | woman; wife |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | wībą | woman; wife |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰwíh₂bʰ- | shame, pudenda |