Etymology Explorer › Old English

Where does “bemurnan” come from?

bemurnan (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.

bemurnan (Old English): to bemoan, mourn over, bewail, care for; becare

Definitions

  1. to bemoan, mourn over, bewail, care for; becare

Ancestry of “bemurnan”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishbeby
2Proto-West Germanicbīby, 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
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- →