Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “behave” come from?

Behave comes from Middle English behaven, whose ultimate origin and meaning remain unknown.

behave (English): To conduct well, or in a given way; To act,...

Definitions

  1. To conduct well, or in a given way; To act,...

Ancestry of “behave”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishbehaven—
2Old Englishbehabbanto surround or embrace something; to hold or...
3Proto-Germanic*bihabbjan—

Words derived from “behave”

  • behaviour
  • misbehaviour
  • behaveth
  • behaver
  • behavest
  • neurobehaviour
  • misbehavioural
  • behaviourwise
  • behaving
  • interbehaviour
Every word from Proto-Germanic *bihabbjan →