Where does “bysitter” come from?

bysitter (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.

bysitter (English): One sitting near or nearby

Definitions

  1. One sitting near or nearby

Ancestry of “bysitter”, step by step

bysitter 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 sitter

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsitterSomeone who sits, e.g. for a portrait; One...
2Middle Englishsitter
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ent-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂énts