Where does “bileve” come from?
bileve (Middle English) comes from Old English lēafa, from Proto-West Germanic laubu, from Proto-Germanic laubō, from Proto-Indo-European lewbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European lēw- — to sound, resound, sing out; to leave.
Ancestry of “bileve”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | lēafa | — |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | laubu | permission |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | laubō | permission |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | lewbʰ- | to desire, covet, want; to admire, praise; to... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | lēw- | to sound, resound, sing out; to leave |