Where does “beholden” come from?
Beholden derives from Middle English beholden, from Old English behealdan, from Proto-West Germanic bihaldan and haldan, from Proto-Germanic haldaną, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kel-.
beholden (English): Obligated to provide, display, or do something...
Definitions
- Obligated to provide, display, or do something...
Ancestry of “beholden”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | biholden | To watch or stare at; to visually monitor |
| 2 | Old English | behealdan | to hold, occupy, retain; to do, perform; to look... |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | bihaldan | to keep |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | haldan | to hold; to keep |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | haldaną | to hold, to keep |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | kel- | to hit; beat; to pierce, to stab; goblet |