Where does “многожёнство” come from?

многожёнство (Russian) comes from Russian жена́, from Old East Slavic жена, from Proto-Slavic žena, from Proto-Balto-Slavic génāˀ, from Proto-Indo-European gʷḗn, from Proto-Indo-European gʷen- — woman.

многожёнство (Russian): polygyny

Definitions

  1. polygyny

Ancestry of “многожёнство”, step by step

многожёнство traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Russian жена́

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianжена́woman; wife
2Old East Slavicженаwoman, wife
3Proto-Slavicženawoman; wife
4Proto-Balto-Slavicgénāˀwoman
5Proto-Indo-Europeangʷḗnwoman
6Proto-Indo-Europeangʷen-woman

via Russian мно́го

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianмно́гоmany; much; multi-, multiple, many
2Proto-Slavicmъnogъmany
3Proto-Balto-Slavicmanagasmany
4Proto-Indo-Europeanmonogʰos—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanmengʰ-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷen- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷḗn →Every word from Proto-Balto-Slavic génāˀ →