Where does “biholden” come from?
biholden (Middle English) comes from Old English behealdan, from Proto-West Germanic bihaldan, from Proto-West Germanic haldan, from Proto-Germanic haldaną, from Proto-Indo-European kel- — to hit; beat; to pierce, to stab; goblet.
Ancestry of “biholden”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | behealdan | to hold, occupy, retain; to do, perform; to look... |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | bihaldan | to keep |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | haldan | to hold; to keep |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | haldaną | to hold, to keep |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | kel- | to hit; beat; to pierce, to stab; goblet |