Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “bedrift” come from?

bedrift (English) comes from English drift, from Middle English drift, from Old English drift, from Proto-Germanic driftiz, from Proto-Indo-European dʰreybʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- — to support; to hold.

bedrift (English): To drift about; drift around

Definitions

  1. To drift about; drift around

Ancestry of “bedrift”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdriftMovement; that which moves or is moved; The act...
2Middle Englishdrift—
3Old Englishdriftan act of driving ; movement; a driving force;...
4Proto-Germanicdriftizdriving
5Proto-Indo-Europeandʰreybʰ-to drive, push
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-to support; to hold
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- →