Question by xtremist151: Why is there a “step” in a step-parent?
I’m not asking about the definition of a step-parent, but instead, asking about why there is the word ‘step’ in step-parent?

Who originally coined the phrase step-parent and why use a word like ‘step’ when you could easily say “fake-parent” or something…

What are they? A step up or a step down?

What are your thoughts?

Best answer:

Answer by BOUND
The earliest recorded use of the prefix step-, in the form steop-, is from an 8th century glossary of Latin-Old English words. Steopsunu is given for the Latin word filiaster and steopmoder for nouerca. Similar words recorded later in Old English include stepbairn, stepchild and stepfather. The words are used to denote a connection resulting from the remarriage of a widowed parent and are related to the word ástíeped meaning bereaved, with stepbairn and stepchild occasionally used simply as synonyms for orphan. Words such as stepbrother, stepniece and stepparent appeared much later and do not have any particular connotation of bereavement. Corresponding words in other Germanic languages include: Old High German stiuf- and Old Norse stjúp

hope this has helped.

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