English
behavior
Behavior comes from Middle English behavoure, from behaven ‘to behave’, from Old English behabban ‘to contain’, with the suffix modelled on havour.
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*bihabbjanreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150behabban‘to hold, contain’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500behaven
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500behavoure
- Englishearliest quotation 2014behavior
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*bihabbjanreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150behabban‘to hold, contain’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500behaven
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500behavoure
- Englishearliest quotation 2014behavior
Earliest quotation: 2014, A teacher, Choosing a primary school: a teacher's guide for parents: “Teachers will probably be on their best behaviour for…”
The story
The suffix was adopted in imitation of havour (modern haviour, havior), an etymologically unrelated word that was corrupted from Anglo‐Norman Anglo-Norman aveir and Old French Old French avoir (‘property, wealth’) through false association with the native English verb have. The French term derives ultimately from Latin Latin habēre (‘to have, hold’). Replaced Old English ġebǣru.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *kap-
had, case, head, except, capital, cash, captain, catch, accept, receive, heavy, capacity, escape, capable, achieve, cable, chapter, capture, cape, chef, recipe, chase, heavily, cattle, cabin, reception, occupation, perception, capitol, recipient, chapel, capita, anticipate, captive, capsule, haven, susceptible, anticipation, hawk, cater, 177 more
Today it means
noun Human conduct relative to social norms.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-West Germanic *bihabbjan / behavior