Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *ubatją ‎(“fruit, produce, increase”), from a compound whose first element represents Proto-Indo-European *obʰi-, *ebʰi-, *bʰi- ‎(“on, toward, from, by”), and whose second element is Proto-Germanic *at-, *ēta- ‎(“edibles, food”), from Proto-Germanic *etaną ‎(“to eat”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ed- ‎(“to eat”). Cognate with Old High German obez, obaz ‎(“fruit”) (whence German Obst), Middle Low German ōvet ‎(“fruit”), Middle Dutch ovet ‎(“fruit”) (whence Dutch ooft), Old English eofot ‎(“crime”). More at ob-, eat.