Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “abide” come from?

Abide derives from Middle English abiden, from Old English ābīdan, combining Old English bīdan with Proto-Germanic uz-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰeydʰ- meaning to wait or split.

abide (English): To endure without yielding; to withstand; await...

Definitions

  1. To endure without yielding; to withstand; await...

Ancestry of “abide”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishabydento abide
2Old Englishābīdanto abide, wait, remain, delay, remain behind;...
3Proto-West Germanic*uʀbīdan—

Words derived from “abide”

  • abideth
  • abidest
  • abider
  • unabidable
  • abideable
  • abidable
  • unabideable
Every word from Proto-West Germanic *uʀbīdan →