Where does “behoven” come from?
behoven (Middle English) comes from Old English behōfian, from Old English hōfian, from Proto-Germanic hufōną, from Proto-Germanic hufą, from Proto-Indo-European keup-, from Proto-Indo-European keu- — bend; vault, hole; to shine; light; bright.
behoven (Middle English): to be necessary or requisite
Definitions
- to be necessary or requisite
Ancestry of “behoven”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | behōfian | to need; to be necessary; to need |
| 2 | Old English | hōfian | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | hufōną | to house, lodge |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | hufą | hill, elevated place; house, hall, estate |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | keup- | to arch, bend, buckle; a hollow |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | keu- | bend; vault, hole; to shine; light; bright |