An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/beten

by Friedrich Kluge

beten, verb, ‘to entreat, pray,’ from the equivalent Middle High German bëten, Old High German bëtôn; compare Gothic bida, Old High German bëta, ‘request, prayer.’ Formed from the Teutonic root bī̆d (Aryan bhidh), discussed under bitten.