Where does “ben” come from?
ben (Norwegian Bokmål) comes from Danish ben, from Old Norse bein, from Proto-Germanic bainą, from Proto-Indo-European bʰeyh₂- — to fear, be afraid; to strike, hit; to hew, cut.
ben (Norwegian Bokmål): a leg; a bone
Ancestry of “ben”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Danish | ben | leg; bone |
| 2 | Old Norse | bein | leg; bone |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | bainą | leg; bone |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰeyh₂- | to fear, be afraid; to strike, hit; to hew, cut |