etymology - Why is "build" spelt with a "u"?


I was just looking at build on Wiktionary and I noticed that in Middle English the word was bilden. Where did the u come from? I can understand why words such as guide have a u; it's to make the g "hard" (/ɡaɪd/) instead of "soft" like a "j": *gide (*/dʒaɪd/).


In Modern English, changing the spelling to bild to follow the earlier spelling wouldn't change the pronunciation (/bɪld/), so how did build gain a u between Middle English and Modern English?




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