Where does “bedunce” come from?
bedunce (English) comes from English Be, from Middle English be, from Old English bēo, from Proto-West Germanic *bijā, from Proto-Germanic bijō, from Proto-Indo-European bʰī- — to hit, to pierce.
bedunce (English): To treat as, or reduce to, a dunce; to make stupid
Definitions
- To treat as, or reduce to, a dunce; to make stupid
Ancestry of “bedunce”, step by step
bedunce traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Be
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Be | As an auxiliary verb |
| 2 | Middle English | be | Alternative form of been; Alternative form of... |
| 3 | Old English | bēo | I become, I will be, I am; bee |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *bijā | bee |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | bijō | bee |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰī- | to hit, to pierce |
via English dunce
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | dunce | An unintelligent person |