Where does “belittle” come from?
Belittle derives from English little with the prefix be- from Middle English and Old English be-, which comes from Old English bī meaning "by" or "near," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European lewd- and ki-.
belittle (English): To knowingly say that something is smaller or...
Definitions
- To knowingly say that something is smaller or...
Ancestry of “belittle”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | be- | By, near, next to, around, close to; Around;... |
| 2 | Middle English | bi- | A prefix forming transitive verbs from any content word, often denoting completion or thoroughness |
| 3 | Old English | bī- | by, near, around; by- |
| 4 | Old English | bī | lullaby!; near, by; by, near, around |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | bī | by, at; near, around |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | bi | by, at; near, around |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂m̥bʰi | around, on either side of, about; in exchange... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂n̥tbʰi | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énts | forehead; front |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ent- | face; forehead; front |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂en- | on, onto |