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

  1. to be; ben; plural of bee

Ancestry of “been”, step by step

been traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English bēn

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishbēnprayer, request; prayer, request, petition,...
2Proto-Germanicbanjōwound
3Proto-Indo-Europeangʷʰon-yeh₂—
4Proto-Indo-Europeangʷʰen-to strike, slay, kill
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰon-—

via Old English bēon

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishbēonto be, become
2Proto-Germanicbijōniz—
3Proto-Germanicbijǭbee
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰey-bee

via Old Norse beinn

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norsebeinnstraight, right; hospitable; -legged
2Proto-Germanicbainąleg; bone
3Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeyh₂-to fear, be afraid; to strike, hit; to hew, cut

Words derived from “been”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰon- →