Where does “been” come from?
been (Middle English) comes from Old English bēn, from Proto-Germanic banjō, from Proto-Indo-European gʷʰon-yeh₂, from Proto-Indo-European gʷʰen-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰon-.
been (Middle English): to be; ben; plural of bee
Definitions
- to be; ben; plural of bee
Ancestry of “been”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | bēn | prayer, request; prayer, request, petition,... |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | banjō | wound |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷʰon-yeh₂ | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷʰen- | to strike, slay, kill |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰon- | — |
Words derived from “been”