Where does “brightnesse” come from?
brightnesse (Middle English) comes from Old English beorhtnes, from Old English beorht, from Proto-Germanic *berht, from Proto-Germanic berhtaz, from Proto-Germanic hrabnaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱorh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱer-, from Proto-Indo-European kr̥- — army.
Ancestry of “brightnesse”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | beorhtnes | brightness |
| 2 | Old English | beorht | bright, clear |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | *berht | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | berhtaz | bright, shining |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hrabnaz | raven |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱorh₂- | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱer- | to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | kr̥- | to turn, to bend |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ker- | army |