Where does “betreiben” come from?

betreiben (German) comes from German treiben, from Middle High German trīben, from Old High German drīvan, from Proto-West Germanic drīban, from Proto-Germanic drībaną, from Proto-Indo-European dʰreybʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- — to support; to hold.

betreiben (German): to run, to operate

Definitions

  1. to run, to operate

Ancestry of “betreiben”, step by step

betreiben traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German treiben

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germantreibento drive (e.g. livestock); to propel; to force
2Middle High Germantrīben—
3Old High Germandrīvan—
4Proto-West Germanicdrībanto drive, to push, to compel to go
5Proto-Germanicdrībanąto drive, push, compel to go
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰreybʰ-to drive, push
7Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-to support; to hold

via Middle Low German bedrîven

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Low Germanbedrîvento drive cattle
2Middle Low Germandrîven—
3Old Saxondrīvanto drive

Words derived from “betreiben”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰreybʰ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic drībaną →
betreiben — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer