buy
UK[baɪ]US[baɪ]
v
To get something by paying money for it.
v
To accept that something is true, especially something that is not very likely.
n
Something that is worth the money paid for it.
Etymology
The verb 'buy' originates from the Old English 'bycgan', meaning "to acquire by payment, to redeem." This term is of Germanic origin, related to Old Saxon 'buggian', Old Norse 'byggja', and Gothic 'bugjan'. Its Proto-Germanic root is bugjaną, which likely stems from the Proto-Indo-European root bheugh-, meaning "to bend" or "to bow," conceptually linked to the idea of exchanging or coming to terms. Over centuries, the spelling and pronunciation simplified from 'bycgan' to Middle English 'buggen' and then 'bien', eventually solidifying into the modern form 'buy', while its core meaning of obtaining something in exchange for payment has remained remarkably stable.
Analysis
The word 'buy' is a simplex word of Old English origin. It functions as a single, indivisible lexical unit.
Examples
We decided to buy a new car.
I don't buy his excuse for being late.
At that price, the sofa was a real buy.