Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “bene” come from?

bene (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-.

bene (Middle English): gracious, generous, pleasant; neighbourly help,...

Definitions

  1. gracious, generous, pleasant; neighbourly help,...

Ancestry of “bene”, step by step

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

Words derived from “bene”

  • r
  • thereby
  • whereby
  • bye
  • beans
  • bees
  • bee
  • hereby
  • bean
  • ben
  • soybean
  • bein
  • bygone
  • bene
  • bequest
  • weir
  • beeswax
  • beeline
  • honeybee
  • beanbag
  • howbeit
  • beekeeper
  • beekeeping
  • beanstalk
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰon- →