Where does “between” come from?
Between derives from Middle English betwene, from Old English betwēonum, combining Proto-Germanic bi- (from Proto-Indo-European h₁epi, meaning "upon") with a form based on Proto-Indo-European dwóh₁ ("two") and key- ("to lie").
between (English): In the position or interval that separates (two things), or intermediate in quantity or degree. (See Usage notes below.)
Definitions
- In the position or interval that separates (two things), or intermediate in quantity or degree. (See Usage notes below.)
Ancestry of “between”, step by step
between traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English betwene
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | betwene | — |
| 2 | Old English | betwēonum | between, among, amid, in the midst, meanwhile;... |
| 3 | Old English | be | by |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | bī | by, at; near, around |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | bi | by, at; near, around |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂m̥bʰi | around, on either side of, about; in exchange... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂n̥tbʰi | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énts | forehead; front |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ent- | face; forehead; front |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂en- | on, onto |
via English btw
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | btw | — |