Is "midwife" one of the only words in English that still descends directly from the Old English definition of "wife" as woman, regardless of marriage status? I can't think of any others
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in reply to @hthrflwrs's post:
ironically, Scots wifey got imported and demoted 🤦♀️
I'm pretty sure it is. the mid meaning "amid, or with" so a someone who is "with a woman" when she's birthing. I think?
Close! It's a "woman who is with" you while you're giving birth
"Housewife," "wifeless," "wifely," "wife-beater," and "wife guy" might all still be current too.
i'd argue that all of those are specifically using the term to mean "married woman," but i like where your head's at
True. Sorry, I lost that distinction between reading and posting; have thus shamed myself.
ratwife! from rottejomfruen, which should be "the rat maiden", but in english maiden is transposed to wife! (i recognize that it's only used in a literary context, but being a literary person I think about this all the time)
great question! looking it up, it appears to be unrelated -- comes from old french "guaif," meaning "something lost or ownerless."