Where does “aback” come from?
Aback comes from Old English on bæc, combining Old English on from Proto-Germanic ana from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- meaning "in" with Old English bæc from Proto-Indo-European bʰog- meaning "back."
aback (English): Towards the back or rear; backwards; In the rear;...
Definitions
- Towards the back or rear; backwards; In the rear;...
Ancestry of “aback”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | abak | — |
| 2 | Old English | onbæc | — |
| 3 | Old English | on | on, in, at, among; from |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | ana | on |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | *an | — |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | ana | on, at; on, onto; ana |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂en- | on, onto |
Words derived from “aback”