Where does “an” come from?

an (Cimbrian) comes from Middle High German ein, from Old High German ein, from Proto-West Germanic ain, from Proto-Germanic ainaz, from Proto-Indo-European óynos — one; single.

an (Cimbrian): a, an; oblique masculine of a; that

Definitions

  1. a, an; oblique masculine of a; that

Ancestry of “an”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germaneinone
2Old High Germaneinone; only
3Proto-West Germanicainone
4Proto-Germanicainazone; some
5Proto-Indo-Europeanóynosone; single

Words derived from “an”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European óynos →Every word from Proto-Germanic ainaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic ain →