The core idea of this root was:
being, existing, growing
The most famous English offspring is to be and the German forms bin and bist, but there are quite a few other interesting family members to be found.
Here’s an (incomplete) overview:
- physics, physical, … (“the existing, tangible world”)
- the beam (originally: “what’s existing, tree”)
- build (first “dwelling”, then “building a house”)
- neighbor (literally: “near-dweller”)
- husband (originally: “house dweller”)
- fiat (Latin for “be done”)
- future (Latin form for “going to be”)
