Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “bytown” come from?

bytown (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.

bytown (English): A subsidiary or subordinate town; A town that has...

Definitions

  1. A subsidiary or subordinate town; A town that has...

Ancestry of “bytown”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbyNear or next to; From one side of something to...
2Middle Englishbybe
3Old Englishbīlullaby!; near, by; by, near, around
4Proto-West Germanicbīby, 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
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- →