Where does “so” come from?
so (English) comes from Middle English zuo, from Old English swē, from Old English swā, from Proto-West Germanic swā, from Proto-Germanic swa, from Proto-Germanic swē, from Proto-Indo-European swē — self (reflexive pronoun).
so (English): Reduced form of 'so that', used to express...
Definitions
- Reduced form of 'so that', used to express...
Ancestry of “so”, step by step
so traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English zuo
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | zuo | so |
| 2 | Old English | swē | so, as, the same, such, that |
| 3 | Old English | swā | so |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | swā | so, thus, in this manner; like, similar to; just... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | swa | so, thus, in this manner |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | swē | like, similar to; just like, in the same manner... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | swē | self (reflexive pronoun) |
via Middle English so
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | so | Alternative form of sche |
via Middle English swe
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | swe | — |