Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “benefits” come from?

Benefits derives from Middle English benefytt, from Middle English benfet, from Middle French bienfait, from Middle French bienfaire, from Middle French bien and Latin facio meaning "to do."

benefits (English): plural of benefit; Third-person singular simple...

Definitions

  1. plural of benefit; Third-person singular simple...

Ancestry of “benefits”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbenefitAn advantage; help or aid from something; A...
2Middle Englishbenefytt—
3Middle Englishbenfet—
4Anglo-Normanbenfetwell-done
5Old Frenchbienfet—
6Old Frenchbienfaireto do good, do well
7Old Frenchbienwell; indeed; possession; object of value
8Latinbenewell; properly, exactly; agreeably, favorably
9Latinbonusgood, honest, brave, noble, kind, pleasant;...
10Old LatinduenosAlternative form of duonus
11Proto-Italicdwenosgood
12Proto-Indo-Europeandew-to show favour, revere; to fail, to lag, to be...

Words derived from “benefits”

  • e-benefits
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dew- →