Where does “abettor” come from?

Abettor comes from Anglo-Norman abettour, from Old French abeter, combining the prefix a- with a root from Latin ad- and ultimately Proto-Indo-European bʰeyd-, meaning to urge or incite.

abettor (English): One that abets an offender; one that incites;...

Definitions

  1. One that abets an offender; one that incites;...

Ancestry of “abettor”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Anglo-Normanabettour—
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
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰey- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰeyd- →Every word from Proto-Germanic baitō →