0
According to the Online Etymology Dictionary: ; step- : O.E. steop-, with connotations of "loss," in combinations like steopcild "orphan," related to astiepan, bestiepan "to bereave, to deprive of parents or children," from P.Gmc. *steupa- "bereft" (cf. O.Fris. stiap-, O.N. stjup-, Swed. styv-, M.L.G. stef-, Du. stief-, O.H.G. stiof-, Ger. stief-), lit. "pushed out," from PIE *steup-, from base *(s)teu-(see steep (adj.)). Etymologically, a stepfather or stepmother is one who becomes father or mother to an orphan, but the notion of orphanage faded in 20c. For sense evolution, cf. L. privignus "stepson," related to privus "deprived."
Wiki User
∙ 16y ago
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoIt could possibly come from the Brythonic word "mam" which means "mother". This is a plausible expalanation since the Modern Welsh word (descended from Brythonic) for mother is mam.
When the Brittons were learning Old English (for whatever reason) they would have learnt the word "mother" from Old Englsh but when they were speaking informally they would have kept the "mam". This has been maintained in Modern English were "mam", "mum" or "mom" are said informally but "mother" more formally.
The previous answer about Irish was complete nonsense; ill-informed rubbish.
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoThe word mother comes from Old English and the word modor, which means "female parent." Modor comes from the Proto-Germanic word, "mothaer".
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
What is the origin of the word ballot?
the origin is where the word came from but the specific origin of the word ballot is latin root word.
What is the origin of the word montage?
The origin is from french
What is the origin of the word calliope?
The origin of the word calliope: from Greek word: kalliope; meaning "beautiful voiced"
What is the origin of the word strong?
The answer is it's a british word origin. The word was orriginaly made by the English society
What is the original origin of the word pneumocranium?
The origin is Greek
What is the origin of mater?
Mater is the latin word for mother.
What is the origin of the word mither?
The word "mither" is a form of the word "mother" used in Scotland and northern England. Its etymology is the same as the etymology for "mother."
Where did the word mom-mom originate?
Mom is short for mother - mother originates from the Latin word, mater. another origin is mama, which is short for mammary, since all human mothers have mammary glands.
What is the origin of the word ballot?
the origin is where the word came from but the specific origin of the word ballot is latin root word.
What is the origin of the word origin?
The word "origin" is derived from the French word "origin" and the Latin word "originem," both of which mean, beginning, descent, birth, and rise.
Origin of the word speculation?
where was the word colonel origin
What is the origin word for diaster?
There is no such word as diaster and so no origin word.
What is the meaning of the name janani?
The word 'Janani', from Sanskrit origin, means Mother'; sometimes it is used to refer 'Earth' - the idea deriving from Hindu mythology which considers Earth as the Mother.
What is the origin of the word 'mother'?
The word 'mother' comes from the Old English word 'modor', which is derived from the Proto-Germanic word 'mōdēr'. This word has connections to other Indo-European languages, indicating a shared root across different language families.
What is the origin of the word Data?
The origin of the word data is Latin ....
What is the origin of the word bucket?
the origin of the word bucket is bu-cket
What is the origin of the word snog?
The origin of the word 'Snog' or 'Snogging' is England :)
