Where does “bully” come from?

Bully comes from Dutch boel, derived from Dutch boedel, which traces to Old Dutch buothal and Proto-Germanic bōlô.

bully (English): A person who is intentionally, physically, or...

Definitions

  1. A person who is intentionally, physically, or...

Ancestry of “bully”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchboela lot, bunch; mess, disorderly heap; quarrel
2Dutchboedelestate
3Middle Dutchboedel—
4Old Dutchbuothal—

Words derived from “bully”

Every word from Old Dutch buothal →Every word from Middle Dutch boedel →Every word from Dutch boedel →