baunu (Proto-West Germanic)

Where does "baunu" come from?

The Proto-West Germanic noun 'baunu', meaning 'bean'[1], descends directly from the Proto-Germanic form '*baunō'[1]. This Germanic term is itself of uncertain origin[2]. It is frequently cited as coming from an earlier form '*babnō', which may trace back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'bean'[2].

Open questions

• The derivation of the Proto-Germanic form from an earlier '*babnō' and its connection to a Proto-Indo-European root are disputed. [2]

Full etymology tree

• *baunu (Proto-West Germanic), 'bean'
  • inherited *baunō (Proto-Germanic), 'bean'

Ancestors

• *baunō (Proto-Germanic)

Sources

1. baunu (Proto-West Germanic) - Wiktionary
2. baunō (Proto-Germanic) - Wiktionary

Updated August 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris