Where does “ben” come from?
Ben comes from Latin bene, which derives from Latin bonus meaning "good," ultimately tracing to Proto-Celtic bandā and Proto-Indo-European bʰew-.
ben (English): A prayer; a petition; In, into; Inside
Definitions
- A prayer; a petition; In, into; Inside
Ancestry of “ben”, step by step
ben traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English ben
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | ben | Alternative form of been |
| 2 | Old English | binnan | within |
| 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 |
via Middle English bene
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | bene | gracious, generous, pleasant; neighbourly help,... |
| 2 | Old English | bēn | prayer, request; prayer, request, petition,... |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | banjō | wound |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷʰon-yeh₂ | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷʰen- | to strike, slay, kill |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰon- | — |