English
best
Best comes from Old English bezt, betest ‘best’, from Proto-Germanic *batistaz ‘best’, superlative of *bataz ‘good’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰed- ‘good’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰed-‘good’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*bataz‘good’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*batistaz‘best’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*batistreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150bezt‘best’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500best‘best’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1596–1598best
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰed-‘good’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*bataz‘good’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*batistaz‘best’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*batistreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150bezt‘best’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500best‘best’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1596–1598best
Earliest quotation: c. 1596–1598, William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice: “[…] when he is beſt, he is a little…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- ‘to unite, be associated, suit’
together, gather, goodness, gad, bettering, goodly, 3 more
through Proto-Germanic *gōdaz ‘good’
Today it means
adj Most; largest.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *bʰed- / best