English
befree
Befree comes from Old English befrēoġan ‘to free, liberate’, from Proto-West Germanic *frijōn ‘to love’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *preyH-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*preyH-‘to love’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*frijōną‘to love’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*frijōn‘to love’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150frēoġan‘to free, to liberate’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150befrēoġan‘to free, liberate’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500*befreenreconstructed
- Englishearliest quotation 1917befree
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*preyH-‘to love’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*frijōną‘to love’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*frijōn‘to love’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150frēoġan‘to free, to liberate’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150befrēoġan‘to free, liberate’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500*befreenreconstructed
- Englishearliest quotation 1917befree
Earliest quotation: 1917, Massachusetts. Constitutional convention: “Such is the fascinating future for Russia in the…”
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 *preyH- ‘to please; to love’
…
Proto-Germanic *frijaz ‘free’
Proto-West Germanic *frī ‘free’
Old English frēo ‘free, at liberty’
Middle English fre ‘having the status of a freeman’
English free
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *preyH- ‘to love’
friend, property, freedom, improper, fray, propriety, frith, 5 more
through Proto-Germanic *frijōną ‘to love’
Today it means
verb To make or set free; liberate; deliver; release.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *preyH- / befree