Where does “best” come from?

best (Dutch) comes from Middle Dutch best, from Old Dutch betst, from Proto-Germanic batistaz, from Proto-Germanic gōdaz, from Proto-Germanic gadaną, from Proto-Indo-European gʰedʰ- — to join; to unite; to suit.

best (Dutch): best; fine, okay; quite, rather

Definitions

  1. best; fine, okay; quite, rather

Ancestry of “best”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Dutchbestbest; superlative degree of goet; best;...
2Old Dutchbetst—
3Proto-Germanicbatistazsuperlative degree of *gōdaz; superlative degree...
4Proto-Germanicgōdazgood
5Proto-Germanicgadaną—
6Proto-Indo-Europeangʰedʰ-to join; to unite; to suit

Words derived from “best”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʰedʰ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic gadaną →Every word from Proto-Germanic gōdaz →
best — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer