English
befly
Befly comes from Old English beflēogan ‘to fly upon’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *plewk-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*plewk-1‘to fly, flow, run’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fleuganą1‘to fly’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*fleugan1‘to fly’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150flēogan2‘to fly’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150beflēogan3‘to fly upon’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500biflien3
- Englishtodaybefly3
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
- 1 Wiktionary, Old English fleogan
- 2 Wiktionary, Old English befleogan
- 3 Wiktionary, English befly
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*plewk-Wiktionary, Old English fleogan‘to fly, flow, run’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fleuganąWiktionary, Old English fleogan‘to fly’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*fleuganWiktionary, Old English fleogan‘to fly’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150flēoganWiktionary, Old English befleogan‘to fly’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150beflēoganWiktionary, English befly‘to fly upon’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500biflienWiktionary, English befly
- EnglishtodaybeflyWiktionary, English befly
Proto-Indo-European *h₁epi ‘at, near’
Proto-Indo-European *h₁pi
Proto-Germanic *bi ‘near, by’
Proto-Germanic *bi-
Proto-West Germanic *bi-
English be-
Proto-Indo-European *plew- ‘to fly, flow, run’
…
Proto-Germanic *fleugǭ ‘flying insect, fly’
Proto-West Germanic *fleugā ‘fly’
Old English flēge ‘a fly’
Middle English fflye
English fly
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *plewk- ‘to fly, flow, run’
fowler, flee, flock, floss, fogle, 9 more
through Proto-Germanic *fleuganą ‘to fly’
through Proto-West Germanic *fleugan ‘to fly’
through Old English flēogan ‘to fly’
Today it means
verb To fly about; fly from; shun; escape.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *plewk- / befly