| 1 | Middle English | defte | Mild, polite, respectful, modest; Unexciting,... |
| 2 | Old English | dæfte | accommodating; meek; mild; gentle |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | daftī | fitting, suitable |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | dabaną | to come to pass, occur, happen; to fit, be... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰabʰ- | appropriate, good, fitting |