Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Even” come from?

Even (English) comes from Middle English even, from Old English efn, from Proto-West Germanic ebn, from Proto-Germanic ebnaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₁émnos — equal, straight; flat, level, even.

Even (English): An ethnic Even: a member of an indigenous people...

Definitions

  1. An ethnic Even: a member of an indigenous people...

Ancestry of “Even”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englisheven—
2Old Englishefnequal, level, even
3Proto-West Germanicebneven, level
4Proto-Germanicebnazeven, level
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁émnosequal, straight; flat, level, even
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁émnos →