Bestow — From Old English to English | etymologist.ai
bestow
/bɪˈstoʊ/·verb·c. 1300·Established
Origin
From 'be-' + 'stowen' (to place), from OldEnglish 'stōw' (a place) — originally just 'to put somewhere,' evolved into 'to give as an honor.'
Definition
To give something as a gift or honor, especially formally or officially; to confer.
The Full Story
Old English1300swell-attested
From Middle English 'bistowen,' from 'be-' (thoroughly, about) + 'stowen' (to place, to put), from Old English 'stōw' (a place, a spot). The original meaning was simply 'to place' or 'to put somewhere' — to bestow goods was to place them in someone's keeping. The sense of 'giving as a gift' developed by the 15th century, when placing something with someone became the defining act of
Did you know?
TheEnglishverb 'stow' — as in 'stow your luggage' — is the base of 'bestow,' minus the prefix. Many English place namesending in '-stow' or '-stowe' (like Felixstowe, Walthamstow, Padstow) preserve Old English 'stōw' meaning 'a place' — these are literally named places.
place.' The prefix 'be-' adds completeness and transition — to 'be-stow' is to fully place into another's possession, completing the transfer. This sense of completion is what distinguishes 'bestow' from mere 'give' — bestowing implies a formal, deliberate, and final placement of something valuable. The word's use in high registers ('bestow an honour,' 'bestow a blessing') reflects its archaic formality and its association with deliberate, ceremonious giving. Key roots: be- (Old English: "thoroughly (intensifier)"), stōw (Old English: "a place, a spot").