Where does “befrignan” come from?

befrignan (Old English) comes from Old English be, from Proto-West Germanic bī, from Proto-Germanic bi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂m̥bʰi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂n̥tbʰi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂énts, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ent-, from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- — on, onto.

befrignan (Old English): to ask, ask about, ask someone, ask for...

Definitions

  1. to ask, ask about, ask someone, ask for...

Ancestry of “befrignan”, step by step

befrignan traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English be

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishbeby
2Proto-West Germanicby, at; near, around
3Proto-Germanicbiby, at; near, around
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂m̥bʰiaround, on either side of, about; in exchange...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂n̥tbʰi
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntsforehead; front
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto

via Old English friġnan

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishfriġnanto inquire, ask; to ask, inquire, learn
2Proto-Germanicfrehnanąto ask, inquire
3Proto-Indo-Europeanpreḱ-to ask
4Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥ḱneh₂
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ent-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂énts
befrignan — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer