Where does “wīf” come from?
wīf (Old English) comes from Proto-West Germanic wīb, from Proto-Germanic wībą, from Proto-Indo-European gʰwíh₂bʰ- — shame, pudenda.
wīf (Old English): wife; woman, female, lady, wife; female
Definitions
- wife; woman, female, lady, wife; female
Ancestry of “wīf”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Proto-West Germanic | wīb | woman; wife |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | wībą | woman; wife |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰwíh₂bʰ- | shame, pudenda |