Where does “by” come from?
by (Norwegian Nynorsk) comes from Old Norse bjóða, from Proto-Germanic beudaną, from Proto-Indo-European bʰewdʰ- — to be awake, be aware.
by (Norwegian Nynorsk): town, city; to command, order; to bid, offer
Definitions
- town, city; to command, order; to bid, offer
Ancestry of “by”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | bjóða | to offer; to bid, invite; to bid, order |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | beudaną | to offer, to bid |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰewdʰ- | to be awake, be aware |