chatelaine

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*ḱes-“to cut off, separate”
2. Medieval Latin · derived fromcastellanus“occupants of a castle”
3. French · borrowed fromchâtelaine
4. English todaychatelaine

] Borrowed from French châtelaine, the feminine form of châtelain (“castle-keeper, castellan; one living in a castle”), from Medieval Latin castellanus (“occupants of a castle”), from castellum (“castle, fort”) (diminutive of castrum (“castle, fort”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱes- (“to cut off, separate”)) + -ānus (“of or pertaining to”). By surface analysis, Old French chatel + French -aine.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from mid 19th c. The mistress of a castle or large household.