Where does “betweenness” come from?
Betweenness derives from English between combined with Middle English -nesse, Old English -nes, ultimately from Proto-Germanic bi- and Proto-Indo-European h₁epi and dwóh₁, meaning two.
betweenness (English): The state or quality of being between; A measure...
Definitions
- The state or quality of being between; A measure...
Ancestry of “betweenness”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | between | In the position or interval that separates (two things), or intermediate in quantity or degree. (See Usage notes below.) |
| 2 | Middle English | betwene | — |
| 3 | Old English | betwēonum | between, among, amid, in the midst, meanwhile;... |
| 4 | Old English | be | by |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | bī | by, at; near, around |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | bi | by, at; near, around |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂m̥bʰi | around, on either side of, about; in exchange... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂n̥tbʰi | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énts | forehead; front |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ent- | face; forehead; front |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂en- | on, onto |