bein

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*bʰeyh₂-“to hit, beat”
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*bainaz“straight”
3. Old Norse · derived frombeinn“straight, right, favourable, advantageous, convenient, friendly, fair, keen”
4. Middle English · derived frombeen
5. English todaybein

From Middle English been, beene, bene (“gracious, generous, pleasant”), of unknown origin. Perhaps from Old Norse beinn (“straight, right, favourable, advantageous, convenient, friendly, fair, keen”), from Proto-Germanic *bainaz (“straight”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyh₂- (“to hit, beat”). Cognate with Scots bein, bien (“in good condition, pleasant, well-to-do, cosy, well-stocked, pleasant, keen”), Icelandic beinn (“straight, direct, hospitable”), Norwegian bein (“straight, direct, easy to deal with”). See also bain.

Words from the same roots