Etymology Explorer › Old Frisian

Where does “wīf” come from?

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

Ancestry of “wīf”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-West Germanicwībwoman; wife
2Proto-Germanicwībąwoman; wife
3Proto-Indo-Europeangʰwíh₂bʰ-shame, pudenda

Words derived from “wīf”

  • wiif
  • Wiedewieuw
  • Wieuwmoanske
  • Wieuw
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʰwíh₂bʰ- →