Where does “być” come from?

być (Polish) comes from Polish móc, from Old Polish móc, from Proto-Slavic moťь, from Proto-Indo-European mógʰtis, from Proto-Indo-European meǵʰ- — to be able.

być (Polish): to be

Definitions

  1. to be

Ancestry of “być”, step by step

być traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Polish móc

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Polishmócto be able; may, might; to be allowed
2Old Polishmóccan, may, to be able to
3Proto-Slavicmoťьpower
4Proto-Indo-Europeanmógʰtis—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanmeǵʰ-to be able

via Albanian byc

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Albanianbycpimple, blemish
2Proto-Slavic*byti—
3Proto-Balto-Slavicbū́ˀteito be
4Proto-Indo-EuropeanbʰuH-to become, grow, appear

Words derived from “być”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European meǵʰ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European mógʰtis →Every word from Proto-Slavic moťь →