Where does “befeather” come from?
befeather (English) comes from English feather, from German feder, from Middle High German vëdere, from Old High German fedara, from Proto-West Germanic feþru, from Proto-Germanic feþrō, from Proto-Indo-European péth₂r̥, from Proto-Indo-European peth₂- — to spread out; to fly.
befeather (English): To deck or cover with feathers
Definitions
- To deck or cover with feathers
Ancestry of “befeather”, step by step
befeather traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English feather
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | feather | A branching, hair-like structure that grows on... |
| 2 | German | feder | feather |
| 3 | Middle High German | vëdere | feather |
| 4 | Old High German | fedara | feather |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | feþru | feather |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | feþrō | feather |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | péth₂r̥ | wing; feather |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | peth₂- | to spread out; to fly |
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-Germanic | biumi | first-person singular present active indicative... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | *beuną | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰew- | to grow, swell; to swell, wax, grow; to blow; to... |