The term derives from the Latin term baiulus ("bearer"), which by the 4th century came to mean "nurse" or "preceptor". Thus in the 12th century the theologian Theodore Balsamon claimed that it came from baïon (βαΐον, palm leaf) because the preceptor was charged with supervising the growth of young minds.
The term's origin is rooted in the Latin word "baiulus," which originally meant "bearer." By the 4th century, it evolved to signify "nurse" or "preceptor."  In the 12th century, theologian Theodore Balsamon suggested that the term stemmed from "baïon" (βαΐον, palm leaf), implying the preceptor's role in nurturing young minds.