English
beam
Beam comes from Middle English bem ‘a beam’, from Proto-West Germanic *baum ‘tree’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰew- ‘to grow, swell’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰew-‘to grow, swell’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*baumaz‘tree, beam, balk’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*baum‘tree’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150bēam‘tree, cross, gallows, column, pillar, wood, beam, splint, post, stock, rafter’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500bem‘a beam’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1596–1598beam
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰew-‘to grow, swell’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*baumaz‘tree, beam, balk’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*baum‘tree’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150bēam‘tree, cross, gallows, column, pillar, wood, beam, splint, post, stock, rafter’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500bem‘a beam’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1596–1598beam
Earliest quotation: c. 1596–1598, William Shakespeare: “That light we ſee is burning in my hall:…”
The story
The original English meaning of beam ("tree") is preserved in some compound words such as quickbeam.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰew- ‘to grow, swell’
big, bold, beat, bug, beetle, bile, paddock, footer, poutine, beal, 6 more
through Proto-West Germanic *baum ‘tree’
Today it means
noun Any large piece of timber or iron long in proportion to its thickness, and prepared for use.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *bʰew- / beam