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According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the prefix "step" to indicate a separation of kinship is a Teutonic term at least 1,000 years old. It was originally used to refer to someone who was orphaned, meaning that either parent had died. Over time, the term evolved and came to refer to "one who becomes father (mother) to an orphan" or to "an orphan who becomes a son (daughter) by the marriage of the surviving parent." The dictionary offers an early Germanic quote dating from 825 backing this claim. Unfortunately, the OED online requires a subscription (we have a good old fashioned paper copy), but we did find confirmation of the term's origins on the Internet. At Take Our Word for
It, a handy etymology site, we found this detailed explanation: The prefix step- used in this sense is Middle English, derived from Old English "steop-." The Old English form is cognate with similar forms in many of the Germanic languages...The Old English form comes from steopcild ("stepchild"), which meant "orphan." The "steop-" prefix comes from Old English astiepan/bestiepan "bereave" (with cognates in Old High German "arstiufen/bestiufen"). The sense is that an orphan is bereaving his lost parent(s). And the venerable Michael Quinion notes on World Wide Words that the prefix has since evolved to apply to any remarriage, not just one resulting from the death of a spouse. Stepfamilies have
become increasingly common over the years, and the Web offers a variety of resources to help family members deal with the unique challenges and rewards these relationships present.
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