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

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of wif

Ancestry of “wyf”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishwīfwife; woman, female, lady, wife; female
2Proto-West Germanicwībwoman; wife
3Proto-Germanicwībąwoman; wife
4Proto-Indo-Europeangʰwíh₂bʰ-shame, pudenda

Words derived from “wyf”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʰwíh₂bʰ- →