Where does “befouleth” come from?
befouleth (English) comes from English befoul, from English be-, from Middle English bi-, from Old English bī-, from Old English bī, from Proto-West Germanic bī, from Proto-Germanic bi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂m̥bʰi — on, onto.
befouleth (English): third-person singular simple present indicative...
Definitions
- third-person singular simple present indicative...
Ancestry of “befouleth”, step by step
befouleth traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English befoul
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | befoul | To make foul; to soil; to contaminate, pollute;... |
| 2 | English | be- | By, near, next to, around, close to; Around;... |
| 3 | Middle English | bi- | A prefix forming transitive verbs from any content word, often denoting completion or thoroughness |
| 4 | Old English | bī- | by, near, around; by- |
| 5 | Old English | bī | lullaby!; near, by; by, near, around |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | bī | by, at; near, around |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | bi | by, at; near, around |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂m̥bʰi | around, on either side of, about; in exchange... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂n̥tbʰi | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énts | forehead; front |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ent- | face; forehead; front |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂en- | on, onto |
via English eth
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | eth | A letter introduced into Old English to... |