Where does “bead” come from?

Bead comes from Middle English bede, a word of uncertain origin and meaning.

bead (English): Prayer, later especially with a rosary; Each in a...

Definitions

  1. Prayer, later especially with a rosary; Each in a...

Ancestry of “bead”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishbēdeprayer, request, supplication, order, command,...
2Old Englishgebedprayer, religious observance
3Proto-West Germanicgabedprayer
4Proto-West Germanicga-used as an intensifier for verbs, indicating...
5Proto-Germanicga-Indicates association or togetherness; co-;...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
8Middle Englishkyt
9Germankittputty certain kinds of cement used for fixing e.g. window panes
10Old High Germankuti
11Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
12Proto-Germanickweduzresin
13Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
14Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “bead

Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū-