Where does “bésta” come from?

bésta (Galician) comes from Old Portuguese baesta, from Latin ballista, from Ancient Greek βαλλίστρα, from Ancient Greek βάλλω, from Proto-Hellenic *gʷəlnō.

bésta (Galician): crossbow; hock

Definitions

  1. crossbow; hock

Ancestry of “bésta”, step by step

bésta traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old Portuguese baesta

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Portuguesebaestacrossbow
2Latinballistaballista
3Ancient Greekβαλλίστραcatapult, engine of war
4Ancient GreekβάλλωI throw, cast, hurl; I let fall; I strike, touch
5Proto-Hellenic*gʷəlnō—

via Old Portuguese besta

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Portuguesebestabeast; beast of burden, donkey
2Latinbēstiaa beast
Every word from Proto-Hellenic *gʷəlnō →Every word from Ancient Greek βάλλω →Every word from Ancient Greek βαλλίστρα →