Word of the Day
Nee (nay)
Common clues: formerly; wedding announcement word
Definition: 1. term used to indicate the maiden name of a married woman 2. term used to indicate something formerly known as
Image
used with permission: donated by Martin
Ferdinando to the Ferdinand(o) Family History Site:
http://www.ferdinando.org.uk/index.htm
I have searched several sources for the origin of the word nee. I know that it means "name prior to marriage", but where does it come from?
We don't see this word so often these days, but when we do it is usually née. It used to be that a recently married woman might be introduced as "Julia Winters née Summers", where the née indicated that her maiden name followed. Why, you ask? Because née is the feminine form of the past participle of French naître "to be born", so that "Julia Winters née Summers" means, literally, "Julia Winters born [Julia] Summers". It first turns up in the written record in 1758.
From: “Take Our Word for It”, Issue 169, page 2 http://www.takeourword.com/TOW169/page2.html
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