Where does “firstborn” come from?
Firstborn derives from English first and English bear, with first from English bere, from Proto-Germanic furistaz, from Proto-Indo-European per-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰer-.
firstborn (English): The first child to be born to a parent or family;...
Definitions
- The first child to be born to a parent or family;...
Ancestry of “firstborn”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | born | past participle of bear; given birth to; past... |
| 2 | English | bear | A large omnivorous mammal, related to the dog and... |
| 3 | Middle English | bere | bear; To pierce |
| 4 | Old English | bere | barley; first-person singular present indicative... |
| 5 | Old English | tūn | enclosure, yard; place; dwelling |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | tūn | fence |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | tūną | fence; enclosure |
| 8 | Gaulish | dunum | fort; hill, hillfort |
| 9 | Proto-Celtic | dūnom | stronghold, rampart |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰewh₂- | smoke; mist, haze |