Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “unbecoming” come from?

Unbecoming derives from English become, Latin unus meaning "one," and Proto-Indo-European óynos and gʷem- meaning "to go," tracing sense development through the notion of unified movement.

unbecoming (English): Not flattering, attractive or appropriate; Not in...

Definitions

  1. Not flattering, attractive or appropriate; Not in...

Ancestry of “unbecoming”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishbecomingpresent participle of become; The act or process...
2EnglishbecomeTo arrive, come; To come about; happen; come into...
3Middle Englishbecomen—
4Old Englishbecumanto come ; to arrive, reach; to come to pass; to...
5Proto-Germanicbikwemanąto come near, come around, come by, arrive; to...
6Proto-Germanicbi-by, at
7Proto-Germanicbiby, at; near, around
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂m̥bʰiaround, on either side of, about; in exchange...
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂n̥tbʰi—
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntsforehead; front
11Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
12Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto

Words derived from “unbecoming”

  • unbecomingly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- →