Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “besotted” come from?

besotted (English) comes from English besot, from English be-, from Middle English bi-, from Old English bī-, from Old English bī, from Proto-West Germanic bī, from Proto-Germanic bi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂m̥bʰi — on, onto.

besotted (English): infatuated; intellectually or morally blinded;...

Definitions

  1. infatuated; intellectually or morally blinded;...

Ancestry of “besotted”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbesotTo muddle, stupefy, or cause to act foolishly, as...
2Englishbe-By, near, next to, around, close to; Around;...
3Middle Englishbi-—
4Old Englishbī-by, near, around; by-
5Old Englishbīlullaby!; near, by; by, near, around
6Proto-West Germanicbīby, at; near, around
7Proto-Germanicbiby, at; near, around
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂m̥bʰiaround, on either side of, about; in exchange...
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂n̥tbʰi—
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntsforehead; front
11Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
12Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto

Words derived from “besotted”

  • besottedly
  • besottedness
  • unbesotted
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- →