Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “asunder” come from?

asunder (English) comes from Old English onsundrum, from Old English on-, from Old English and-, from Proto-West Germanic anda-, from Proto-Germanic anda-, from Proto-Indo-European h₂énti, from Proto-Indo-European h₂énts, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ent- — on, onto.

asunder (English): Into separate parts or pieces

Definitions

  1. Into separate parts or pieces

Ancestry of “asunder”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishonsundrum—
2Old Englishon-forming verbs and adjectives from participles and...
3Old Englishand-against, opposing; in return, back; facing,...
4Proto-West Germanicanda-against, opposing; in return, back; facing,...
5Proto-Germanicanda-against, opposing; un-, de-
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntiopposite; near; in front
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntsforehead; front
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto

Words derived from “asunder”

  • asunderness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- →