Where does “vrouwe” come from?
vrouwe (Middle High German) comes from Old High German frouwa, from Proto-West Germanic *frauwjā, from Proto-Germanic frawjǭ, from Proto-Indo-European proHwo-, from Proto-Indo-European per-, from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós — passed , crossed.
vrouwe (Middle High German): woman, lady, madam
Definitions
- woman, lady, madam
Ancestry of “vrouwe”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old High German | frouwa | lady |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | *frauwjā | lady, wife of a lord woman of high standing |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | frawjǭ | lady, wife of a lord |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | proHwo- | master, judge; right judge, master |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |