Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “begreten” come from?

begreten (Middle English) comes from Middle English grēten, from Old English grētan, from Proto-West Germanic grōtijan, from Proto-Germanic grōtijaną, from Proto-Germanic grētaną, from Proto-Indo-European gʰrēw-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer- — to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines.

begreten (Middle English): To beweep; regret

Definitions

  1. To beweep; regret

Ancestry of “begreten”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishgrētento weep
2Old Englishgrētan—
3Proto-West Germanicgrōtijanto address, to greet
4Proto-Germanicgrōtijanąto cause to weep; make cry; to scold; to address
5Proto-Germanicgrētanąto weep, to cry
6Proto-Indo-Europeangʰrēw-to grind, rub
7Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰer-to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer- →