Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “beseech” come from?

Beseech comes from Middle English besechen, from Old English sēċan, meaning to seek.

beseech (English): to beg or implore; to request or beg for; A...

Definitions

  1. to beg or implore; to request or beg for; A...

Ancestry of “beseech”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishbesechen—
2Old Englishsēċanto seek or inquire about
3Proto-West Germanicsōkijanto seek, to look for
4Proto-Germanicsōkijanąto seek, look for
5Proto-Indo-Europeanséh₂gyetito give a sign
6Proto-Indo-Europeanseh₂g-to seek out

Words derived from “beseech”

  • beseeching
  • beseechingly
  • beseechment
  • beseechingness
  • beseecher
Every word from Proto-Indo-European seh₂g- →