Where does “-a” come from?
-a (English) comes from English have, from English -s, from Middle English -es, from Old English -es, from Proto-Germanic -as, from Proto-Indo-European -ēs, from Proto-Indo-European -ess, from Proto-Indo-European -os — Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs;...
-a (English): plural of -um; plural of -on; Marks singular...
Definitions
- plural of -um; plural of -on; Marks singular...
Ancestry of “-a”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | have | To possess, own; To hold, as something at... |
| 2 | English | -s | Used to form regular plurals of nouns; Used to... |
| 3 | Middle English | -es | Alternative form of -yssh; Alternative form of... |
| 4 | Old English | -es | possessive marker, indicating that an object... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | -as | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -ēs | Primarily forms adjectival bahuvrīhi compounds |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -ess | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -os | Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs;... |