bene

bene · noun¹

1. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*bōniz“supplication”
2. Old English · inherited frombēn“prayer, request, petition, favour, compulsory service”
3. Middle English · inherited frombene
4. English todaybene

From Middle English bene, from Old English bēn (“prayer, request, petition, favour, compulsory service”), from Proto-Germanic *bōniz (“supplication”). Cognate with Danish bøn (“prayer”), Swedish bön (“prayer”), Icelandic bæn (“prayer”), Icelandic bón (“request”). Related to ban. See also boon, bee.

bene · adjective, noun²

1. Italian · derived frombene
2. Latin · derived frombene
3. English todaybene

UK C16. Probably from Latin bene or Italian bene.

bene · noun³

Clipping of eggs benedict

Bene · noun⁴

Clipping of eggs Benedict

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• 16th–19th c. Good.
• 16th–18th c. Tongue.