Where does “abet” come from?

Abet comes from Middle English abetten, from Old French abeter, combining Old French a- (from Latin ad-) with a root from Proto-Indo-European bʰeyd-, meaning to urge or incite.

abet (English): To urge on, stimulate something desirable; To...

Definitions

  1. To urge on, stimulate something desirable; To...

Ancestry of “abet”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishabetten
2Old Frenchabeterto entice
3Old Frenchbeterto bait
4Old Norsebeitato graze; to allow, let, make bite; to steer or...
5Proto-GermanicbaitōThat which is or can be bitten; food; bait
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeyd-to split
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰey-bee

Words derived from “abet

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰey-
abet — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer