Where does “a-” come from?
a- (English) comes from Old English ġe-, from Proto-West Germanic ga-, from Proto-Germanic ga-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱóm, from Proto-Indo-European ḱe, from Middle English kyt, from German kitt, from Old High German kuti — to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...
Ancestry of “a-”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | ġe- | used as an intensifier for verbs, indicating completeness or perfection |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | ga- | used as an intensifier for verbs, indicating... |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | ga- | Indicates association or togetherness; co-;... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱóm | beside, near, by, with |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱe | Deictic particle, here; Post-positional... |
| 6 | Middle English | kyt | — |
| 7 | German | kitt | putty certain kinds of cement used for fixing e.g. window panes |
| 8 | Old High German | kuti | — |
| 9 | Proto-West Germanic | kwidu | gum, resin |
| 10 | Proto-Germanic | kweduz | resin |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷet- | resin, gum; to say, speak |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | gū- | to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,... |