Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “sunbeam” come from?

Sunbeam is a compound of Middle English sonne and bēme, ultimately from Old English sunne and bēam meaning "sun" and "tree" or "beam."

sunbeam (English): A visible, narrow, and intense ray of sunlight;...

Definitions

  1. A visible, narrow, and intense ray of sunlight;...

Ancestry of “sunbeam”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishsonnebeem—
2Old Englishsunnbēam—

Words derived from “sunbeam”

  • sunbeamy
Every word from Old English sunnbēam →