Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “besit” come from?

besit (English) comes from Middle English besitten, from Old English besittan, from Proto-West Germanic *bisittjan, from Proto-Germanic bisitjaną, from Proto-Germanic bi-, from Proto-Germanic bi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂m̥bʰi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂n̥tbʰi — on, onto.

besit (English): To sit around; sit about; besiege; To sit upon;...

Definitions

  1. To sit around; sit about; besiege; To sit upon;...

Ancestry of “besit”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishbesitten—
2Old Englishbesittanto sit near; sit about, surround, beset; to sit...
3Proto-West Germanic*bisittjan—
4Proto-Germanicbisitjanąto sit among, sit near
5Proto-Germanicbi-by, at
6Proto-Germanicbiby, at; near, around
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂m̥bʰiaround, on either side of, about; in exchange...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂n̥tbʰi—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntsforehead; front
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
11Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- →