Where does “by-” come from?
by- (English) comes from Middle English bi-, from Old English bī-, from Old English bī, from Proto-West Germanic bī, from Proto-Germanic bi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂m̥bʰi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂n̥tbʰi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂énts — on, onto.
by- (English): town or city; nearness or roundaboutness;...
Definitions
- town or city; nearness or roundaboutness;...
Ancestry of “by-”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | bi- | — |
| 2 | Old English | bī- | by, near, around; by- |
| 3 | Old English | bī | lullaby!; near, by; by, near, around |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | bī | by, at; near, around |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | bi | by, at; near, around |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂m̥bʰi | around, on either side of, about; in exchange... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂n̥tbʰi | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énts | forehead; front |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ent- | face; forehead; front |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂en- | on, onto |