bile-
See also: bile, bilé, bílé, and -bile
Old English
Alternative forms
- bele-, bil-, byl-, byly-
Etymology
From Proto-Germanic *bili- (prefix), *biliz (“gentle, kind, fitting”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰil- (“decent, good, harmonious, friendly”). Cognate with Old Saxon bili- (“uniform”), Old High German bili- (“suitable, proper, fit”), Ancient Greek φίλο- (phílo-, “friendly, kind, love of”). More at philosophy.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈbile/
Prefix
bile-
- Prefix denoting kindness or appropriateness
- bile- + witt (“mind, understanding, sense, sanity”) → bilewit (“merciful, kind”)
- bile- + hwīt (“white”) → bilehwīt (“pure, honest, sincere”)