Where does “bly” come from?
Bly comes from Middle English blee, Old English bleoh, Proto-West Germanic blīu, Proto-Germanic blīwą, and Proto-Indo-European bʰlih₁-wó-s, ultimately derived from the Proto-Indo-European root bʰel- meaning to shine or bloom.
bly (English): Likeness; resemblance; look aspect; species;...
Definitions
- Likeness; resemblance; look aspect; species;...
Ancestry of “bly”, step by step
bly traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English blee
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | blee | Colour, hue; Colour of the face, complexion,... |
| 2 | Middle English | blee | colour, hue; color |
| 3 | Old English | blēo | blue |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | blīu | colour, hue |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | blīwą | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰlih₁-wó-s | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰl-eh₁y- | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰel- | to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰōl- | — |