Word Origin & History
accoucheur1759, "midwife" (properly, "male midwife"), from Fr. (Jules Clément, later 17c.), agent noun from accoucher "to go to childbed, be delivered," originally "to lie down" (12c.), from O.Fr. culcher "to lie," from L. collocare, from com- "with" + locare "to place" (see
EXPAND locate). The fem. is accoucheuse (1847). Related: Accouchement (1803).
COLLAPSE