Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “byworde” come from?

byworde (Middle English) comes from Old English bīword, from Old English bīwyrde, from Old English bī-, from Old English bī, from Proto-West Germanic bī, from Proto-Germanic bi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂m̥bʰi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂n̥tbʰi — on, onto.

byworde (Middle English): Alternative form of byword; proverb

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of byword; proverb

Ancestry of “byworde”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishbīword—
2Old Englishbīwyrdeproverb, household word", also "adverb
3Old Englishbī-by, near, around; by-
4Old Englishbīlullaby!; near, by; by, near, around
5Proto-West Germanicbīby, at; near, around
6Proto-Germanicbiby, at; near, around
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂m̥bʰiaround, on either side of, about; in exchange...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂n̥tbʰi—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntsforehead; front
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
11Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto

Words derived from “byworde”

  • byword
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- →