Where does “bastard” come from?

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

bastard (Danish): crossbreed; mongrel; bastard

Definitions

  1. crossbreed; mongrel; bastard

Ancestry of “bastard”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchbastardbastard person conceived to unmarried parents
2Medieval Latinbastardusillegitimate child
3Proto-Germanicbanstuzbond, tie
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰendʰ-to bind; bond
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰendʰ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic banstuz →Every word from Medieval Latin bastardus →