Where does “hæmedwif” come from?
hæmedwif (Old English) comes from Old English wīf, from Proto-West Germanic wīb, from Proto-Germanic wībą, from Proto-Indo-European gʰwíh₂bʰ- — shame, pudenda.
hæmedwif (Old English): a married woman
Definitions
- a married woman
Ancestry of “hæmedwif”, step by step
hæmedwif traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old English wīf
| 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 |
via Old English hǣmed
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | hǣmed | cohabitation; sexual intercourse |