Etymograph

English

beautify

Beautify comes from Old French beaute ‘beauty’, from Latin facio ‘make’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁k-reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰh₁kyétireconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*θakjōreconstructed
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*fakjō‘to make’reconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfacio‘make’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEbellus‘beautiful, fine’
  7. Old Frenchc. 842–1400beaute‘beauty’
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500beutifien
  9. Englishearliest quotation c. 1607–1608beautify

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁k-reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰh₁kyétireconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*θakjōreconstructed
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*fakjō‘to make’reconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfacio‘make’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEbellus‘beautiful, fine’
  7. Old Frenchc. 842–1400beaute‘beauty’
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500beutifien
  9. Englishearliest quotation c. 1607–1608beautify

Earliest quotation: c. 1607–1608, William Shakespeare, The Late: “And now, / This ornament [i.e. beard] / Makes…”

Linked words

through Proto-Italic *θakjō

effectively, effectiveness, ineffective, affectionate, imperfection, putrefaction, 63 more

through Proto-Italic *fakjō ‘to make’

effective, factor, difficulty, interface, manufacture, perfection, affection, faction, imperfect, facet, affective, defection, defector, effector, deface, affectation, confectionary, 69 more

through Latin facio ‘make’

face, fact, perfect, effect, difficult, profit, feature, facility, affect, efficient, faculty, affair, infection, sacrifice, facial, deficit, facilitate, feat, defect, efficacy, superficial, facade, counterfeit, fetish, infect, deficient, facsimile, façade, hacienda, maleficent, aficionado, efficacious, parfait, facies, confection, refectory, confit, difficile, beneficent, 86 more

through Latin bellus ‘beautiful, fine’

boo, bello, beal, bauble, beaucoup, 6 more

Today it means

verb To make beautiful; to increase the beauty of.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k- / beautify

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