Where does “bestraffen” come from?
bestraffen (Dutch) comes from Dutch straffen, from Middle Dutch straffen, from Middle High German strāfen, from Proto-Germanic strēpōną, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ter(h₁)- — to be stiff; be rigid; exert.
bestraffen (Dutch): to punish
Ancestry of “bestraffen”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Dutch | straffen | to punish; to sentence; plural of straf |
| 2 | Middle Dutch | straffen | to scold, to reprimand; to refute; to punish |
| 3 | Middle High German | strāfen | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | strēpōną | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)ter(h₁)- | to be stiff; be rigid; exert |