Middle English edit

Prefix edit

steop-

  1. Alternative form of step-

Old English edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

From Proto-West Germanic *steupa- (bereft, pushed out).

Akin to Old Frisian stiap-, Old High German stiof- (German stief-), Old Norse stjup- (Swedish styv-), Middle Low German stef-, Dutch stief-, Old English āstīepan (to bereave, orphan), bestīepan (to deprive of children).

Pronunciation edit

Prefix edit

stēop-

  1. deprived of a relative
  2. step-

Usage notes edit

  • Originally used with children to denote loss of a parent; later extended to adoptive parents.

Derived terms edit

Descendants edit

  • Middle English: steop-, step-, stappe-, ste-