Where does “bastard” come from?

bastard (Cornish) comes from Middle English bastard, from Old French bastard, from Medieval Latin bastardus, from Proto-Germanic banstuz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰendʰ- — to bind; bond.

bastard (Cornish): bastard

Definitions

  1. bastard

Ancestry of “bastard”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishbastardan illegitimate child, especially a noble one; a...
2Old Frenchbastardbastard person conceived to unmarried parents
3Medieval Latinbastardusillegitimate child
4Proto-Germanicbanstuzbond, tie
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰendʰ-to bind; bond
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰendʰ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic banstuz →Every word from Medieval Latin bastardus →