"woman" in seven languages
Meaningwoman
Spanish
mujer
/muˈxeɾ/
fem.other source · Latin MULIEREM 'woman'
French
femme
/fam/
fem.other source · Latin FĒMINAM 'female, woman'
Also 'wife'.
Italian
donna
/ˈdɔnna/
fem.other source · Latin DOMINAM 'mistress of the house'
Portuguese
mulher
/muˈʎɛh/
fem.other source · Latin MULIEREM 'woman'
Romanian
femeie
/feˈmeje/
fem.other source · Latin FAMILIAM 'household' (in the sense 'wife')
Catalan
dona
/ˈdɔnə/
fem.other source · Latin DOMINAM 'mistress of the house'
English
woman
/ˈwʊmən/
native English · Old English wīfmann
plural: women
English → ItalianwomandonnaNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: feminine (fr); dominate, Madonna (it).What English and Italian share
The story
Three Latin words, three sisters: Spanish kept MULIEREM (its LI turned j), French FĒMINAM 'female', Italian DOMINAM 'lady of the house'. MULIER still lives in Italian moglie 'wife'.
English relatives: feminine (fr); dominate, Madonna (it)
Sound laws at work
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In a sentence
- es¿Quién es esa mujer?
- frQui est cette femme ?
- itChi è quella donna?
- ptQuem é aquela mulher?
- roCine e femeia aceea?
- caQui és aquella dona?
- enWho is that woman?