Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “soybean” come from?

Soybean derives from English bean, from Dutch soja, from Arabic بَان, from Proto-Germanic baunō, from Proto-Indo-European bʰew-.

soybean (English): A legume plant , commonly cultivated for human...

Definitions

  1. A legume plant , commonly cultivated for human...

Ancestry of “soybean”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsoyA common East Asian liquid sauce, made by...
2Frenchsoiesilk; bristle; tang
3Middle Frenchsoyesilk
4Old Frenchsoiesilk
5Old Frenchseiesilk
6Latinsēta—
7Latinsaetaa bristle, hair on an animal; silk
8Proto-Italicsaitā—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanséh₂ito-—
10Proto-Indo-Europeansh₂ey-to bind, fetter
11Proto-Indo-Europeanseh₂-to satiate, satisfy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European seh₂- →