Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “unbending” come from?

Unbending derives from English bend, which comes from Proto-Indo-European bʰendʰ-, a root meaning to bind or constrain.

unbending (English): inflexible and not yielding; very reserved, aloof...

Definitions

  1. inflexible and not yielding; very reserved, aloof...

Ancestry of “unbending”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1English-ingUsed to form gerunds, a type of verbal nouns,...
2Old English-ingForming nouns from verbs, indicating action,...
3Old English-tūn—
4Old Englishtūnenclosure, yard; place; dwelling
5Proto-West Germanictūnfence
6Proto-Germanictūnąfence; enclosure
7Gaulishdunumfort; hill, hillfort
8Proto-Celticdūnomstronghold, rampart
9Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewh₂-smoke; mist, haze

Words derived from “unbending”

  • unbendingly
  • unbendingness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- →