Where does “better” come from?

better (English) comes from English BET, from Hebrew בית, from English byte, from English bite, from Middle English biten, from Old English betēon, from Old English tēon, from Old English tēohan — to pull, to draw; to lead.

better (English): comparative form of good: more good; comparative...

Definitions

  1. comparative form of good: more good; comparative...

Ancestry of “better”, step by step

better traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English BET

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishBETAn adsorption technique used to measure the...
2Hebrewביתhouse; stanza; Temple
3EnglishbyteA short sequence of bits that can be operated on...
4EnglishbiteTo cut into something by clamping the teeth; To...
5Middle Englishbitento bite
6Old Englishbetēonto cover, surround, enclose; to cover, surround,...
7Old Englishtēonto drag, draw, pull; to train, discipline; to...
8Old Englishtēohan—
9Proto-West Germanicteuhanto pull; to lead
10Proto-Germanicteuhanąto lead; to pull behind oneself, draw, drag
11Proto-Indo-Europeandewk-to pull, to draw; to lead

via Middle English better

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishbetterAlternative form of bettre; Alternative form of...
2Old Englishbeterabetter
3Latinbatizō—

Words derived from “better”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European dewk- →Every word from Proto-Germanic teuhaną →Every word from Proto-West Germanic teuhan →