Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “bâtard” come from?

bâtard (French) comes from Middle French bâtard, from Old French bastard, from Medieval Latin bastardus, from Proto-Germanic banstuz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰendʰ- — to bind; bond.

bâtard (French): a bastard; a hybrid plant; a batard

Definitions

  1. a bastard; a hybrid plant; a batard

Ancestry of “bâtard”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchbâtard—
2Old Frenchbastardbastard
3Medieval Latinbastardusillegitimate child
4Proto-Germanicbanstuzbond, tie
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰendʰ-to bind; bond

Words derived from “bâtard”

  • batard
  • abâtardir
  • abâtardissement
  • bâtardement
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰendʰ- →