An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/bohnen

by Friedrich Kluge

bohnen, verb, ‘to wax (a floor), polish,’ first occurs in Modern High German from the equivalent Low German bônen; compare Dutch boenen, ‘to scour,’ Anglo-Saxon bônian, ‘to polish’ (English dialectic to boon, ‘to mend roads’). Allied to these is the Middle High German büenen (originally High German), ‘to polish’ (Gothic *bônjan). The Teutonic root bôn, from pre-Teutonic bhân, ‘to shine, glitter,’ is probably connected with the Greek root φαν (φαίνω), Sanscrit bhânu, ‘sheen, light, ray,’ Old Irish bán, ‘white.’