Old English (in an earlier sense). Originally (in Old English) cognate with or formed similarly to Old Frisian bova, adverb and preposition (West Frisian boppe), Middle Dutch boven, bouen, adverb and preposition (Dutch boven), Old Saxon bioban, adverb (in an apparently isolated attestation; Middle Low German bōven (adverb and preposition), bōvene (adverb), German regional (Low German) baben, baven, boven, adverb and preposition) from the Germanic base of be- + the Germanic base of Old English ufan (adverb) above, from above, Old Saxon obana, adverb (Middle Low German ōvene), Old High German obana, obena, adverb (Middle High German obene, oben, German oben), Old Icelandic ofan, adverb and preposition, Old Swedish ovan, adverb and preposition (Swedish oven), Old Danish ouaen, ovaen, adverb and preposition (Danish oven) from the Germanic base of Old High German oba above + a Germanic adverbial suffix.