Where does “be” come from?

be (Scots) comes from Middle English been, from Old English bēn, from Proto-Germanic banjō, from Proto-Indo-European gʷʰon-yeh₂, from Proto-Indo-European gʷʰen-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰon-.

be (Scots): to be; Alternative form of by

Definitions

  1. to be; Alternative form of by

Ancestry of “be”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishbeento be; ben; plural of bee
2Old Englishbēnprayer, request; prayer, request, petition,...
3Proto-Germanicbanjōwound
4Proto-Indo-Europeangʷʰon-yeh₂—
5Proto-Indo-Europeangʷʰen-to strike, slay, kill
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰon-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰon- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷʰen- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷʰon-yeh₂ →