Where does “bymatter” come from?

bymatter (English) comes from English by, from Middle English by, 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.

bymatter (English): Something beside the main business; a side...

Definitions

  1. Something beside the main business; a side...

Ancestry of “bymatter”, step by step

bymatter traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English by

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbyNear or next to; From one side of something to...
2Middle Englishbybe
3Old Englishlullaby!; near, by; by, near, around
4Proto-West Germanicby, at; near, around
5Proto-Germanicbiby, at; near, around
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂m̥bʰiaround, on either side of, about; in exchange...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂n̥tbʰi
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntsforehead; front
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto

via English matter

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmatterSubstance, material; A condition, subject or...
2Middle EnglishmatereMatter or stuff; that which things are composed...
3Anglo-Normanmatere
4Latinmāteriamatter; material; component stuff; substance
5Latinmātermother female parent
6Proto-Italicmātērmother
7Proto-Indo-Europeanméh₂tērmother
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en-