Where does “wiif” come from?
wiif (West Frisian) comes from Old Frisian wīf, from Proto-West Germanic wīb, from Proto-Germanic wībą, from Proto-Indo-European gʰwíh₂bʰ- — shame, pudenda.
wiif (West Frisian): wife; woman
Ancestry of “wiif”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Frisian | wīf | — |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | wīb | woman; wife |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | wībą | woman; wife |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰwíh₂bʰ- | shame, pudenda |