Etymograph

English

feminism

Feminism comes from Latin fēmina ‘woman’, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-m̥h₁n-éh₂ ‘􂀿the one􂁀 nursing, breastfeeding’, and ultimately from *dʰeh₁(y)- ‘to suckle, nurse’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁(y)-‘to suckle, nurse’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁-m̥h₁n-éh₂‘􂀿the one􂁀 nursing, breastfeeding’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*θēmanāreconstructed
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*fēmanāreconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfēmina‘woman’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfēminīnus
  7. Frenchc. 1600–presentféminisme
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1875feminism

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁(y)-‘to suckle, nurse’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁-m̥h₁n-éh₂‘􂀿the one􂁀 nursing, breastfeeding’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*θēmanāreconstructed
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*fēmanāreconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfēmina‘woman’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfēminīnus
  7. Frenchc. 1600–presentféminisme
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1875feminism

Earliest quotation: 1875, The Medical Times and Gazette: “His hair is delicate and silky, and of a…”

first attested First recorded in English in 1851, originally meaning “the state of being feminine” (as stated in the etymology)

The story

In the original sense of “women's movement or advocacy”, the French word was probably directly derived from fēmina, as if from Neo-Latin feminismus. First recorded in English in 1851, originally meaning “the state of being feminine”. Sense of “advocacy of women's rights” is from 1895.

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁(y)- ‘to suckle, nurse’

doe, tyre, fetus, dai, felicity, fawn, filial, fellatio, fecundity, dahi, 32 more

through Latin fēmina ‘woman’

female, femme, effeminate, 12 more

Today it means

noun A social theory or political movement which argues that legal and social restrictions on women must be removed in order to bring about equality of the sexes in all aspects of public and private life.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁(y)- / feminism

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