Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “bailment” come from?

Bailment derives from English bail, Old French -ment, Latin -mentum, Latin mens meaning "mind," and Proto-Indo-European méntis and men-.

bailment (English): Bail; The handing over of control over, or...

Definitions

  1. Bail; The handing over of control over, or...

Ancestry of “bailment”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbailSecurity, usually a sum of money, exchanged for...
2Middle Englishbeyle—
3Old Englishbiegels—
4Old Englishbīeġanto bend, turn, turn back, incline, depress,...
5Proto-Germanicbi-by, at
6Proto-Germanicbiby, at; near, around
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂m̥bʰiaround, on either side of, about; in exchange...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂n̥tbʰi—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntsforehead; front
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
11Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- →