Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “bee” come from?

bee (Middle English) comes from Old English bēo, from Proto-Germanic biumi, from Proto-Germanic *beuną, from Proto-Indo-European bʰew- — to grow, swell; to swell, wax, grow; to blow; to...

bee (Middle English): A bee

Definitions

  1. A bee

Ancestry of “bee”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old EnglishbēoI become, I will be, I am; bee
2Proto-Germanicbiumifirst-person singular present active indicative...
3Proto-Germanic*beuną—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰew-to grow, swell; to swell, wax, grow; to blow; to...

Words derived from “bee”

  • r
  • thereby
  • whereby
  • bye
  • bees
  • bee
  • hereby
  • ben
  • bein
  • bygone
  • bequest
  • weir
  • beeswax
  • beeline
  • honeybee
  • howbeit
  • beekeeper
  • beekeeping
  • abe
  • bean't
  • aren't
  • beant
  • weren't
  • albe
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰew- →