An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/bauen

by Friedrich Kluge

bauen, vb., ‘to build, construct, cultivate,’ from MidHG. bûwen, OHG. and OLG. bûan (weak vb. with traces of a strong inflexion), ‘to dwell, inhabit, till, plant’; with regard to the meaning ‘to dwell,’ comp. Bau, Bauer, and Bude. To the OHG. bûan corresponds Goth. bauan, ‘to dwell, inhabit.’ The root, in accordance with the law of the permutation of consonants, is pre-Teut. bhû, which, on comparison with Sans. bhû, Gr. φύω, Lat. fui (futurus), &c., must mean ‘to be, become, arise, beget.’ With the same root are connected the following nouns, which are of importance in determining its primary sense: OInd. bhûmis, ‘earth,’ bhûtis, ‘existence,’ φῦμα, ‘produce’ (comp. also Baum), φύσις, ‘nature,’ φῦλον, φυλή, ‘tribe, race.’