bait

English

/beɪt/

noun
Definitions
  • Any substance, especially food, used in catching fish, or other animals, by alluring them to a hook, snare, trap, or net.
  • Food containing poison or a harmful additive to kill animals that are pests.
  • Anything which allures; something used to lure or entice someone or something into doing something
  • A portion of food or drink, as a refreshment taken on a journey; also, a stop for rest and refreshment.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English bayte derived from Old Norse beita (bait, cause to bite, food, let graze, feed, make bite, incite, hunt, rest) derived from Proto-Germanic *baitō (bait, food, that which is bitten) derived from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyd- (split, break, cleave, separate, chop, break down), *bʰeyd- (split, break, cleave, separate, chop, break down).

Origin

Proto-Indo-European

*bʰeyd-

Gloss

split, break, cleave, separate, chop, break down

Concept
Semantic Field

Basic actions and technology

Ontological Category

Action/Process

Emoji
🪓

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms