Where does “bequest” come from?
Bequest comes from Middle English bequeste, formed with the prefix bi- from Old English be-, ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European bʰew- meaning "to grow" or "become."
bequest (English): The act of bequeathing or leaving by will; The...
Definitions
- The act of bequeathing or leaving by will; The...
Ancestry of “bequest”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | biqueste | Bequest, inheritance; One's will and testament |
| 2 | Middle English | be | Alternative form of been; Alternative form of... |
| 3 | Old English | bēo | I become, I will be, I am; bee |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | biumi | first-person singular present active indicative... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | *beuną | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰew- | to grow, swell; to swell, wax, grow; to blow; to... |