Where does “afterwhile” come from?
afterwhile (English) comes from English after, from Middle English after, from Old English æfter, from Proto-West Germanic *aftar, from Proto-Germanic after, from Proto-Indo-European h₂epoteros — further behind, further away.
afterwhile (English): afterwards
Definitions
- afterwards
Ancestry of “afterwhile”, step by step
afterwhile traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English after
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | after | Behind; later in time; following; Subsequently... |
| 2 | Middle English | after | after |
| 3 | Old English | æfter | after; according to |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *aftar | after, behind |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | after | after, behind |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂epoteros | further behind, further away |
via English while
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | while | An uncertain duration of time, a period of time;... |
| 2 | Middle English | whyle | while |
| 3 | Old English | hwīl | time; while; while; time, while |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | hwīlu | period of rest, pause; time, period of time,... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hwīlō | time, period of time, while; period of rest,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷyeh₁- | to rest; rest, peace |