Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “at once” come from?

at once (English) comes from English at, from Middle English at, from Middle English heye, from Old French haie, from Medieval Latin haga, from Frankish haggju, from Proto-Germanic hagjō, from Proto-Indo-European kagʰyóm — Creates adjectives from noun or verb stems.

at once (English): In one group; together; At the same time;...

Definitions

  1. In one group; together; At the same time;...

Ancestry of “at once”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishatIn, near, or in the general vicinity of a...
2Middle Englishatat; to
3Middle Englishheyehedge, fence; enclosed plot of land, yard;...
4Old Frenchhaie—
5Medieval Latinhaga—
6Frankishhaggjuhedge
7Proto-Germanichagjōhedge
8Proto-Indo-Europeankagʰyómenclosure, hedge
9Proto-Indo-European-yósCreates adjectives from noun or verb stems
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -yós →