Where does “big” come from?

big (Middle English) comes from Middle English biggen, from Old Norse byggja, from Proto-Germanic būwijaną, from Proto-Germanic būaną, from Proto-Indo-European bʰuH- — to become, grow, appear.

Ancestry of “big”, step by step

big traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English biggen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishbiggenbuild; dwell
2Old Norsebyggjato settle, build; to inhabit, dwell, live; to let...
3Proto-Germanicbūwijanąto settle, to inhabit
4Proto-Germanicbūanąto dwell, reside
5Proto-Indo-EuropeanbʰuH-to become, grow, appear

via Proto-Germanic bugja-

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Germanicbugja-swollen up, thick
2Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰew-to grow, swell; to swell, wax, grow; to blow; to...

Words derived from “big”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰuH- →Every word from Proto-Germanic būaną →Every word from Proto-Germanic būwijaną →