Between
/bɪˈtwiːn/noun
In or into the space separating two things or people; among two or more.
Did you know?The word comes from an ancient Germanic form meaning “by two,” and its old sense of being positioned in the middle helped make it perfect for describing borders, bargains, and in-between states.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dwóh₁
“two”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*bi-twih
“by two; in the space of two”
Old English
Eng
betwēonan / betweox
“between; among; in the interval separating”
Middle English
Eng
betwene
“between; among; in the middle of”
Modern English
Eng
between
“in or into the space separating two or more things”