The term “betrayal” dates back to around 1600 as a noun, but its verb form has been in use since the early 1200s, spelled as “betrai,” “betraye,” or “betraȝe” with a yogh. Initially, it was written as “be-trai,” “be-traye,” and “be-traȝe.” This word is a combination of “be” (derived from Proto-Germanic “bi,” which traces back to Proto-Indo-European “hepi,” meaning “at” or “near”) and the Old French root “traine,” which meant “betray.” The addition of “be” did not alter the meaning significantly. “Traine” originates from Latin “tradere,” which translates to “to hand over,” making betrayal equivalent to delivering someone to their enemies. “Tradere” is a blend of “trans,” meaning “across,” and “dare,” meaning “to give.” “Trans” stems from Proto-Indo-European “terh,” meaning “throughout,” while “dare” comes from “deh” with the same definition.
