Where does “buxom” come from?

Buxom comes from Middle English buxum, from Old English būhsum, derived from Old English būgan meaning "to bend," from Proto-Germanic beuganą, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰūgʰ-.

buxom (English): Pliant, obedient, tractable; Submissive, humble,...

Definitions

  1. Pliant, obedient, tractable; Submissive, humble,...

Ancestry of “buxom”, step by step

buxom traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English bow

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbowA weapon made of a curved piece of wood or other...
2Middle Englishbowebow; bowman
3Old Englishbogabow; arch
4Proto-West Germanicbogōarch, bow; bow
5Proto-Germanicbugôbow
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰugʰ-bow; arch
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰewgʰ-to bend; curve, arch

via Old English būhsum

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishbūhsumbendsome, pliant, obedient; bendable, flexible,...
2Old Englishbūganto bend, bow
3Proto-West Germanicbeuganto bend, to become bent
4Proto-Germanicbeuganąto bend, bow
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰūgʰ-to bend

Words derived from “buxom

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰewgʰ-