concept
"Femina" etymology
femina etymology
also: fe + minus
A mock-scholarly (and false) etymology deriving the Latin word for 'woman' from 'fe' (faith) plus 'minus' (less), cited by the story's bishop as proof women have less faith; echoes a real folk etymology found in historical witch-hunting manuals.
Reading notes
- The Sinner from Toledo §23 ``femina''
A mock-scholarly (and false) etymology -- deriving the Latin word for 'woman' from 'fe' (faith) plus 'minus' (less) -- that the story's bishop cites as proof women have less faith than men; the same folk etymology appears in the historical witch-hunting manual the Malleus Maleficarum.