Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “bireven” come from?

bireven (Middle English) comes from Old English berēafian, from Proto-Germanic biraubōną, from Proto-Germanic bi-, from Proto-Germanic bi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂m̥bʰi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂n̥tbʰi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂énts, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ent- — on, onto.

bireven (Middle English): To cause someone to lose something; To kill; to...

Definitions

  1. To cause someone to lose something; To kill; to...

Ancestry of “bireven”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishberēafianto bereave, deprive of, take away, seize, rob,...
2Proto-Germanicbiraubōnąto bereave, spoil, take away
3Proto-Germanicbi-by, at
4Proto-Germanicbiby, at; near, around
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂m̥bʰiaround, on either side of, about; in exchange...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂n̥tbʰi—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntsforehead; front
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto

Words derived from “bireven”

  • bereavement
  • bereave
  • bereaver
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- →