Where does “Biedny” come from?
Biedny (Polish) comes from Proto-Slavic bědьnъ, from Proto-Slavic běda, from Proto-Indo-European bʰeydʰ- — to compel, force; to trust.
Ancestry of “Biedny”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Proto-Slavic | bědьnъ | poor, wretched |
| 2 | Proto-Slavic | běda | trouble, misery, misfortune; adversity, calamity;... |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰeydʰ- | to compel, force; to trust |