*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of -dom

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *dʰóh₁mos Proto-Germanic *dōmaz Proto-Germanic *-dōmaz Proto-West Germanic *-dōm Old English -dōm Middle English -dom English -dom

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗
suffix

Forms nouns denoting the condition or state of the root word. · Forms nouns denoting the domain or jurisdiction of the root word. · Forms nouns — usually nonce words — denoting the set of all examples of the suffixed word. · Forms nouns denoting the fandom of the suffixed word.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *dʰóh₁mos Proto-Germanic *dōmaz Proto-Germanic *-dōmaz Proto-West Germanic *-dōm Old English -dōm Middle English -dom English -dom From Middle English -dom, from Old English -dōm (“-dom: state, condition, power, authority, property, right, office, quality”, suffix), from Proto-West Germanic *-dōm, from Proto-Germanic *-dōmaz. Cognate with Scots -dom (“-dom”), North Frisian -dom (“-dom”), West Frisian -dom (“-dom”), Dutch -dom (“-dom”), Low German -dom (“-dom”), German -tum (“-dom”), Danish -dom (“-dom”) -dømme (“-dom”), Swedish -dom (“-dom”) -döme (“-dom”), Norwegian -dom (“-dom”), Icelandic -dómur (“-dom”), Norwegian Bokmål -dømme, Norwegian Nynorsk -døme. Same as Old English dōm (“doom, judgment, sentence, condemnation, ordeal, judicial sentence, decree, ordinance, law, custom; justice, equity; direction, ruling, governing, command; might, power, supremacy, majesty, glory, magnificence, splendor, reputation, honor, praise, dignity, authority; state, condition”). No relation to English domain or dominion. More at doom.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Inherited-form mention-domenm
  • Inherited-form mention-dōmang · -dom: state, condition, power, authority, property, right, office, quality
  • Inherited-form mention*-dōmgmw-pro
  • Derivation mention*-dōmazgem-pro
  • Cognate mention-domsco · -dom
  • Cognate mention-domfrr · -dom
  • Cognate mention-domfy · -dom
  • Cognate mention-domnl · -dom
  • Cognate mention-domnds · -dom
  • Cognate mention-tumde · -dom
  • Cognate mention-domda · -dom
  • Cognate mention-domsv · -dom
  • Cognate mention-domno · -dom
  • Cognate mention-dómuris · -dom
  • Cognate mention-dømmenb
  • Cognate mention-dømenn
  • Cognate mentiondōmang · doom, judgment, sentence, condemnation, ordeal, judicial sentence, decree, ordinance, law, custom; justice, equity; direction, ruling, governing, command; might, power, supremacy, majesty, glory, magnificence, splendor, reputation, honor, praise, dignity, authority; state, condition
Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:-dom",
        "id": "state",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-\nProto-Indo-European *-mos\nProto-Indo-European *dʰóh₁mos\nProto-Germanic *dōmaz\nProto-Germanic *-dōmaz\nProto-West Germanic *-dōm\nOld English -dōm\nMiddle English -dom\nEnglish -dom\n[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*dōmaz\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-dōmaz\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-dōm\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"-dōm\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"-dom\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-dom\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"state\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"-dom\" id=\"English:_state\">"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "-dom"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English -dom"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "-dōm",
        "t": "-dom: state, condition, power, authority, property, right, office, quality",
        "pos": "suffix"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English -dōm (“-dom: state, condition, power, authority, property, right, office, quality”, suffix)"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*-dōm"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *-dōm"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*-dōmaz"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *-dōmaz"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "sco",
        "2": "-dom",
        "t": "-dom"
      },
      "expansion": "Scots -dom (“-dom”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "frr",
        "2": "-dom",
        "t": "-dom"
      },
      "expansion": "North Frisian -dom (“-dom”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "fy",
        "2": "-dom",
        "t": "-dom"
      },
      "expansion": "West Frisian -dom (“-dom”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "nl",
        "2": "-dom",
        "t": "-dom"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch -dom (“-dom”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "nds",
        "2": "-dom",
        "t": "-dom"
      },
      "expansion": "Low German -dom (“-dom”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "-tum",
        "t": "-dom"
      },
      "expansion": "German -tum (“-dom”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "da",
        "2": "-dom",
        "t": "-dom"
      },
      "expansion": "Danish -dom (“-dom”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "sv",
        "2": "-dom",
        "t": "-dom"
      },
      "expansion": "Swedish -dom (“-dom”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "no",
        "2": "-dom",
        "t": "-dom"
      },
      "expansion": "Norwegian -dom (“-dom”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "is",
        "2": "-dómur",
        "t": "-dom"
      },
      "expansion": "Icelandic -dómur (“-dom”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "nb",
        "2": "-dømme"
      },
      "expansion": "Norwegian Bokmål -dømme"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "nn",
        "2": "-døme"
      },
      "expansion": "Norwegian Nynorsk -døme"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "ang",
        "2": "dōm",
        "t": "doom, judgment, sentence, condemnation, ordeal, judicial sentence, decree, ordinance, law, custom; justice, equity; direction, ruling, governing, command; might, power, supremacy, majesty, glory, magnificence, splendor, reputation, honor, praise, dignity, authority; state, condition"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English dōm (“doom, judgment, sentence, condemnation, ordeal, judicial sentence, decree, ordinance, law, custom; justice, equity; direction, ruling, governing, command; might, power, supremacy, majesty, glory, magnificence, splendor, reputation, honor, praise, dignity, authority; state, condition”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "noncog",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "domain"
      },
      "expansion": "English domain"
    },
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:-dom",
        "id": "state",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-\nProto-Indo-European *-mos\nProto-Indo-European *dʰóh₁mos\nProto-Germanic *dōmaz\nProto-Germanic *-dōmaz\nProto-West Germanic *-dōm\nOld English -dōm\nMiddle English -dom\nEnglish -dom"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*dʰeh₁-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/dʰeh₁-#Proto-Indo-European:_do"
    ],
    [
      "*-mos",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-mos#Proto-Indo-European:_noun"
    ],
    [
      "*dʰóh₁mos",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/dʰóh₁mos#Proto-Indo-European:_thing_put"
    ],
    [
      "*dōmaz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/dōmaz#Proto-Germanic:_judgement"
    ],
    [
      "*-dōmaz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-dōmaz"
    ],
    [
      "*-dōm",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/-dōm"
    ],
    [
      "-dōm",
      "-dom#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "-dom",
      "-dom#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "-dom",
      "-dom#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "-dōm",
      "-dom#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "*-dōm",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/-dōm"
    ],
    [
      "*-dōmaz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-dōmaz"
    ],
    [
      "-dom",
      "-dom#Scots"
    ],
    [
      "-dom",
      "-dom#North_Frisian"
    ],
    [
      "-dom",
      "-dom#West_Frisian"
    ],
    [
      "-dom",
      "-dom#Dutch"
    ],
    [
      "-dom",
      "-dom#Low_German"
    ],
    [
      "-tum",
      "-tum#German"
    ],
    [
      "-dom",
      "-dom#Danish"
    ],
    [
      "-dømme",
      "-dømme#Danish"
    ],
    [
      "-dom",
      "-dom#Swedish"
    ],
    [
      "-döme",
      "-döme#Swedish"
    ],
    [
      "-dom",
      "-dom#Norwegian"
    ],
    [
      "-dómur",
      "-dómur#Icelandic"
    ],
    [
      "-dømme",
      "-dømme#Norwegian_Bokmål"
    ],
    [
      "-døme",
      "-døme#Norwegian_Nynorsk"
    ],
    [
      "dōm",
      "dom#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "domain",
      "domain#English"
    ],
    [
      "dominion",
      "dominion#English"
    ],
    [
      "doom",
      "doom#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "suffix",
      "glosses": [
        "Forms nouns denoting the condition or state of the root word.",
        "Forms nouns denoting the domain or jurisdiction of the root word.",
        "Forms nouns — usually nonce words — denoting the set of all examples of the suffixed word.",
        "Forms nouns denoting the fandom of the suffixed word."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "morpheme",
        "uncountable",
        "slang"
      ],
      "recordId": "2ee1f799f2a27a4ab64939cc453507587e49b92447bda1264a4f07643003c9ee",
      "rawRecordSha256": "f0ddf4359bd78c39380b94f33f8936682ae708feb6bb6675e399177a67da2f36",
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  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
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}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
suffix

Forms uncountable nouns denoting a type of domination. · Forms countable nouns denoting a type of dominator.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Middle French dominantbor. English dominantclip. English -dom From dom, shortening of variously domination, dominance, or dominator.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":clip",
        "3": "dominant",
        "id": "domination",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nMiddle French dominantbor.\nEnglish dominantclip.\nEnglish -dom\n[Appendix:Glossary#clipping|Clipping]] of\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"bor.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Borrowed from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle French\", \"term\" : \"dominant\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"frm\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"dominant\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"clipping\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-dom\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"domination\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"-dom\" id=\"English:_domination\">"
    },
    {
      "name": ",",
      "args": {},
      "expansion": ","
    },
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":clip",
        "3": "dominant",
        "id": "domination",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nMiddle French dominantbor.\nEnglish dominantclip.\nEnglish -dom"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "dominant",
      "dominant#Middle_French"
    ],
    [
      "dominant",
      "dominant#English"
    ],
    [
      "dom",
      "dom#English"
    ],
    [
      "domination",
      "domination#English"
    ],
    [
      "dominance",
      "dominance#English"
    ],
    [
      "dominator",
      "dominator#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "suffix",
      "glosses": [
        "Forms uncountable nouns denoting a type of domination.",
        "Forms countable nouns denoting a type of dominator."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "morpheme",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "recordId": "12b4e291965ded97e7cd1d7c8af00bef4f2b5c927778c71f6d94400a766f44eb",
      "rawRecordSha256": "00de92fc4c495f5cdddb512e4418d67baf08694a30f8e50bf6ed030f2850480a",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 446075
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  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for -dom →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-LWRvbQ