Where does “ee” come from?

ee (Dutch) comes from Middle Dutch êe, from Old Dutch ēwa, from Proto-West Germanic aiw, from Proto-Germanic aiwaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eyu-, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ey- — vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning.

ee (Dutch): a law or rule; the bond of marriage

Definitions

  1. a law or rule; the bond of marriage

Ancestry of “ee”, step by step

ee traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle Dutch êe

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Dutchêe
2Old Dutchēwalaw
3Proto-West Germanicaiwlong time, age, eternity; law
4Proto-Germanicaiwazlong time, age, eternity
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eyu-vitality; eternal; vital force, life, long life,...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ey-vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning

via Old Frisian ē

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frisianē
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ey-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eyu-Every word from Proto-Germanic aiwaz