Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “all-time” come from?

all-time (English) comes from English Time, from Middle English tyme, from Old French thym, from Latin thymum, from Ancient Greek θύμον, from Ancient Greek θύω, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- — smoke; mist, haze.

all-time (English): Of all time; unsurpassed up to the present time

Definitions

  1. Of all time; unsurpassed up to the present time

Ancestry of “all-time”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishTime—
2Middle Englishtymethyme; time; A specific duration or period of...
3Old Frenchthym—
4Latinthymumthyme; accusative singular of thymus
5Ancient Greekθύμονthyme
6Ancient GreekθύωI offer in sacrifice, slay, burn, immolate; I...
7Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewh₂-smoke; mist, haze
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- →