Where does “bend” come from?

Bend comes from Middle English benden, from Old English bendan, from Proto-Germanic bandijaną, from Proto-Indo-European bʰendʰ-, a root meaning to bind or constrain.

bend (English): To cause to change its shape into a curve, by...

Definitions

  1. To cause to change its shape into a curve, by...

Ancestry of “bend”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishbenden—
2Old Englishbendanto bind; to bend a bow
3Proto-West Germanicbandijanto bind
4Proto-GermanicbandijanąTo bind, fetter, restrain; stretch; To bend
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰendʰ-to bind; bond

Words derived from “bend”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰendʰ- →