Where does “besittning” come from?
besittning (Swedish) comes from Swedish besitta, from Old Swedish besitia, from Middle Low German besitten, from Proto-Germanic bisitjaną, from Proto-Germanic bi-, from Proto-Germanic bi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂m̥bʰi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂n̥tbʰi — on, onto.
besittning (Swedish): possession
Ancestry of “besittning”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Swedish | besitta | to own, to possess |
| 2 | Old Swedish | besitia | — |
| 3 | Middle Low German | besitten | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | bisitjaną | to sit among, sit near |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | bi- | by, at |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | bi | by, at; near, around |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂m̥bʰi | around, on either side of, about; in exchange... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂n̥tbʰi | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énts | forehead; front |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ent- | face; forehead; front |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂en- | on, onto |