Wife etymology

English

English word wife comes from Proto-Indo-European *gʰwíh₂bʰ-, and later Proto-Germanic *wībą (Wife. Woman.)

Etymology of wife

Detailed word origin of wife

Dictionary entry Language Definition
*gʰwíh₂bʰ- Proto-Indo-European (ine)
*wībą Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) Wife. Woman.
wif Old English (ang) A married woman, a wife. Woman.
wīf Old English (ang)
wyf Middle English (enm) Wife.
wife English (en) (Scotland) .. A married woman, especially in relation to her spouse.. The female of a pair of mated animals.

Words with the same origin as wife

Descendants of *gʰwíh₂bʰ-

housewife midwife woman