Where does “bastard” come from?

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

bastard (Middle English): an illegitimate child, especially a noble one; a...

Definitions

  1. an illegitimate child, especially a noble one; a...

Ancestry of “bastard”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchbastardbastard person conceived to unmarried parents
2Medieval Latinbastardusillegitimate child
3Proto-Germanicbanstuzbond, tie
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰendʰ-to bind; bond

Words derived from “bastard”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰendʰ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic banstuz →Every word from Medieval Latin bastardus →