Where does “any” come from?
Any comes from Middle English any, from Old English ǣniġ, from Proto-Germanic ainagaz and ainaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European óynos.
any (English): To even the slightest extent, at all; At least...
Definitions
- To even the slightest extent, at all; At least...
Ancestry of “any”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | any | — |
| 2 | Old English | ǣniġ | any |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | *ainag | — |