Etymology Explorer › Middle French

Where does “bien” come from?

bien (Middle French) comes from Old French bien, from Latin bene, from Latin bonus, from Old Latin duenos, from Proto-Italic dwenos, from Proto-Indo-European dew- — to show favour, revere; to fail, to lag, to be...

bien (Middle French): well

Definitions

  1. well

Ancestry of “bien”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchbienwell; indeed; possession; object of value
2Latinbenewell; properly, exactly; agreeably, favorably
3Latinbonusgood, honest, brave, noble, kind, pleasant;...
4Old LatinduenosAlternative form of duonus
5Proto-Italicdwenosgood
6Proto-Indo-Europeandew-to show favour, revere; to fail, to lag, to be...

Words derived from “bien”

  • benefit
  • benefits
  • disbenefit
  • benefiter
  • benefitless
  • benefiteth
  • benefitable
  • benefitest
  • benefitteth
  • benefittest
  • e-benefits
  • benefit
  • bien
  • bienfaisant
  • bienheureux
  • bienveillant
  • bienveillance
  • bienheureusement
  • bien-être
  • bienveillamment
  • benefett
  • bienfait
  • benfet
  • benefytt
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dew- →