Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “beat” come from?

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beat (English): A stroke; a blow; A pulsation or throb; A pulse...

Definitions

  1. A stroke; a blow; A pulsation or throb; A pulse...

Ancestry of “beat”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishbeten—
2Old Englishbēatanto thrash, beat; to beat, pound, strike, lash,...
3Proto-West Germanicbautanto beat
4Proto-Germanicbautanąto beat, push
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰewd-to hit, strike; to beat, push; to strike, push,...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰew-to grow, swell; to swell, wax, grow; to blow; to...

Words derived from “beat”

  • beaten
  • beating
  • heartbeat
  • upbeat
  • unbeatable
  • drumbeat
  • offbeat
  • downbeat
  • browbeat
  • unbeaten
  • browbeaten
  • beatnik
  • backbeat
  • wingbeat
  • beateth
  • beatable
  • beatest
  • pulsebeat
  • overbeat
  • hoofbeat
  • breakbeat
  • beatdown
  • interbeat
  • Merseybeat
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰew- →