Where does “broþorwif” come from?

broþorwif (Old English) comes from Old English wīf, from Proto-West Germanic wīb, from Proto-Germanic wībą, from Proto-Indo-European gʰwíh₂bʰ- — shame, pudenda.

broþorwif (Old English): sister-in-law

Definitions

  1. sister-in-law

Ancestry of “broþorwif”, step by step

broþorwif traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English wīf

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

via Old English brōþor

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishbrōþorbrother
2Proto-West Germanicbrōþerbrother
3Proto-Germanicbrōþērbrother
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰréh₂tērbrother
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʰwíh₂bʰ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic wībą →Every word from Proto-West Germanic wīb →