Where does “well-behaved” come from?
well-behaved (English) comes from English well, from Middle English wellen, from Old English weallan, from Proto-Germanic wallaną, from Proto-Indo-European wēlH-, from Proto-Indo-European welH- — to turn, to wind.
well-behaved (English): Having good manners and acting properly;...
Definitions
- Having good manners and acting properly;...
Ancestry of “well-behaved”, step by step
well-behaved traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English well
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | well | Accurately, competently, satisfactorily;... |
| 2 | Middle English | wellen | to boil, to bubble |
| 3 | Old English | weallan | to well |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | wallaną | to well up, spring out, bubble forth |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wēlH- | to roll, to undulate |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | welH- | to turn, to wind |
via English behaved
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | behaved | simple past tense and past participle of behave;... |