Middle English word by comes from Proto-Indo-European *h₁epi (On, at, near.), Proto-Indo-European *bʰewgʰ-, Proto-Indo-European *swAig-, Proto-Indo-European *ḱrā-, Proto-Germanic *hrōzaz (Active, stirring, moving.), Proto-Indo-European *pew-, Proto-Indo-European *kei-, Proto-Indo-European *key(w)-, Proto-Indo-European *keyd-, Proto-Indo-European *h₂ént-, Proto-Indo-European *weǵ-, Proto-Indo-European *glēp-, Proto-Indo-European *bʰūgʰ-, Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyǝ, Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyǝ-, Proto-Indo-European *bʰōw-, Proto-Germanic *būą (Building, dwelling.)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *h₁epi | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | On, at, near. |
| *bʰewgʰ- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *swAig- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | to turn, move around, wander, swing |
| *ḱrā- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | to mix, stir, cook |
| *hrōzaz | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | Active, stirring, moving. |
| *pew- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *kei- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *key(w)- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *keyd- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *h₂ént- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *weǵ- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | to be fresh, be cheerful, be awake, to be awake, be fresh or cheerful, to be strong, be awake, be fresh, be cheerful, to be awake, be fresh, be cheerful, to be fresh, cheerful, awake, lively, to be strong |
| *glēp- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | to hold, clench |
| *bʰūgʰ- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | to bend |
| *bʰeyǝ | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *bʰeyǝ- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *bʰōw- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | to swell, inflate, to blow, swell , to dwell |
| *būą | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | Building, dwelling. |
| *h₁pi | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *h₂ent- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | front, front side |
| *beuganą | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | To bend, bow. |
| *būwiz | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | |
| bū | Old English (ang) | |
| *h₂n̥t-bʰi | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| býr | Old Norse (non) | |
| *baugaz | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | A bend; bow. A ring; bracelet. A wreath; crown. Collar. Something bent (round); circle. |
| *haitaną | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | (passive) to be called. To address, to call. To name. |
| *h₂m̥bʰi | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | Around, on either side of, about. Facing, against. In exchange for. |
| bēag | Old English (ang) | |
| *bi | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | (with accusative or dative) by, at. (with accusative or dative) near, around. |
| bi | Old English (ang) | Beside. By, near, around, to, in, at, about, with. |
| *klupjaną | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | |
| bī | Old English (ang) | |
| by | Middle English (enm) | Be. |