Where does “both” come from?

Both derives from Middle English bothe, from Old English bā þā, from Proto-Germanic bai-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰuH-.

both (English): Each of the two; one and the other; Each of the...

Definitions

  1. Each of the two; one and the other; Each of the...

Ancestry of “both”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishboþeAlternative form of bothe
2Old Englishbā þāboth the; both those
3Old Norsebáðirboth
4Proto-Germanicbaiboth
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰoh₁both

Words derived from “both”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰoh₁ →Every word from Proto-Germanic bai →Every word from Old Norse báðir →