Etymograph

English

behave

Behave may come from Middle English behaven, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *kap-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kap-1root named by Wiktionary · steps between not traced
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500behaven1uncertain
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1590behave1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English behave
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene: “But who his limbs with labours, and his mind…”.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kap-Wiktionary, English behaveroot named by Wiktionary · steps between not traced
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500behavenWiktionary, English behaveuncertain
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1590behaveWiktionary, English behave. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene: “But who his limbs with labours, and his mind…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *kap-

had, case, head, except, capital, cash, captain, catch, accept, capacity, heavy, escape, receive, capable, cable, chapter, capture, achieve, heavily, cape, chef, recipe, reception, occupation, perception, chase, cattle, cabin, capitol, recipient, capita, chapel, anticipation, anticipate, caption, capsule, susceptible, deception, precipitation, captivity, 176 more

Today it means

verb To conduct (oneself) well, or in a given way; to conform.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “behave”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *kap- / behave

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