Where does “femme” come from?
femme (Norman) comes from Old French fame, from Latin fēmina, from Proto-Italic fēmanā, from Proto-Indo-European dʰeh₁-m̥n-eh₂, from Proto-Indo-European dʰeh₁(y)- — to suckle, nurse.
femme (Norman): wife; woman
Definitions
- wife; woman
Ancestry of “femme”, step by step
femme traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Old French fame
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | fame | wife, female partner; woman |
| 2 | Latin | fēmina | woman |
| 3 | Proto-Italic | fēmanā | woman |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰeh₁-m̥n-eh₂ | who sucks; one who is sucked; one who suckles;... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰeh₁(y)- | to suckle, nurse |
via Old French fenme
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | fenme | — |
| 2 | Latin | femina | woman; wife; female |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰeh₁(y)-m̥n-eh₂ | — |
via Old French femme
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | femme | Alternative form of fame |