Where does “både” come from?

både (Danish) comes from Old Norse baða, from Proto-Germanic baþōną, from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₁- — to foment; warm; bathe.

både (Danish): both; advantage, profit; to be useful, help

Definitions

  1. both; advantage, profit; to be useful, help

Ancestry of “både”, step by step

både traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old Norse baða

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norsebaðato bathe
2Proto-Germanicbaþōnąto bathe
3Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeh₁-to foment; warm; bathe

via Middle Low German baten

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Low Germanbaten—
2Proto-Germanicbatānąto become better, improve
3Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰed-to improve, make better

Words derived from “både”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₁- →Every word from Proto-Germanic baþōną →Every word from Old Norse baða →