battle

battle · noun, verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰedʰh₂-
2. Latinbattuō
3. Late Latinbattālia
4. Old Frenchbataille
5. Middle Englishbatayle
6. English todaybattle

From Middle English batel, batell, batelle, batayle, bataylle, borrowed from Old French bataille, from Late Latin battālia, variant of battuālia (“fighting and fencing exercises”) from Latin battuō (“to strike, hit, beat, fight”), of uncertain origin. Possibly from a Gaulish or Proto-Germanic root from Proto-Indo-European *bʰedʰ- (“to stab, dig”), related to Old English beado (“battle”); or possibly from a Proto-Indo-European *bʰew- (“to hit, strike, beat”). Doublet of battalia and battel. Displaced native Old English ġefeoht, beado, camp, and wīg (“battle”), among others.

battle · adjective, verb²

1. Old English · inherited from*batol“improving, tending to be good”
2. Middle English · inherited from*batel“flourishing”
3. English todaybattle

From Early Modern English batell, probably from Middle English *batel (“flourishing”), from Old English *batol (“improving, tending to be good”), from batian (“to get better, improve”) + -ol ( + -le).

Battle · proper noun³

Capitalization of battle. Doublet of Battaglia.

Words from the same roots