Where does “by” come from?
by (Danish) comes from Old Norse bǿr, from Old Norse búa, from Proto-Germanic būaną, from Proto-Indo-European bʰuH- — to become, grow, appear.
by (Danish): town, city
Ancestry of “by”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | bǿr | farm; town |
| 2 | Old Norse | búa | to reside; to prepare; to dress, decorate |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | būaną | to dwell, reside |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰuH- | to become, grow, appear |