Where does “sweet bay” come from?

sweet bay (English) comes from English sweet, from Middle English swete, from Old English swēte, from Proto-West Germanic swōtī, from Proto-Germanic swōtuz, from Proto-Indo-European swéh₂dus, from Proto-Indo-European sweh₂d- — sweet.

sweet bay (English): Synonym of true laurel, "to distinguish it from...

Definitions

  1. Synonym of true laurel, "to distinguish it from...

Ancestry of “sweet bay”, step by step

sweet bay traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English sweet

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsweetHaving a pleasant taste, especially one relating...
2Middle Englishswetesweet, pleasant-tasting; sweet in smell;...
3Old Englishswētesweet
4Proto-West Germanicswōtīsweet
5Proto-Germanicswōtuzsweet
6Proto-Indo-Europeanswéh₂dussweet
7Proto-Indo-Europeansweh₂d-sweet

via English Bay

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishBayA body of water (especially the sea) contained by a concave shoreline
2Frenchbaieberry; bay; feminine singular of bai
3Frenchbaibay
4Old Frenchbaibay-colored
5Latinbadiusreddish brown, chestnut colored, bay
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbodyosyellow
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sweh₂d-
sweet bay — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer