Where does “blithe” come from?
blithe (Middle English) comes from Old English blīþe, from Proto-West Germanic blīþī, from Proto-Germanic blīþiz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰlī-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰleh₁-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰel-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰōl-.
Ancestry of “blithe”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | blīþe | blithe, joyous, cheerful, pleasant; gracious,... |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | blīþī | happy |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | blīþiz | serene, mild; pleasant, pleasing, delightful,... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰlī- | light, pleasant, fine; light, fine, pleasant |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰleh₁- | to bleat; to cry; to blow |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰel- | to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰōl- | — |