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): /ˈbi.le/

Prefix

bile-

1. kind, appropriate

   ‎bile- + ‎witt (“mind, understanding, sense, sanity”) → ‎bilewit (“merciful, kind”)

   ‎bile- + ‎hwīt (“white”) → ‎bilehwīt (“pure, honest, sincere”)