Where does “aye” come from?
Aye comes from Middle English aye, from Old Norse ey, from Proto-Germanic awjō, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂ey-.
aye (English): ever, always; yes; yea; a word expressing assent,...
Definitions
- ever, always; yes; yea; a word expressing assent,...
Ancestry of “aye”, step by step
aye traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English aye
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | aye | Alternative form of ei |
| 2 | Old Norse | ey | always, ever; island |
| 3 | Proto-Norse | *ᚨᚢᛃᚢ | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | awjō | floodplain; meadow; island |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | agwjō | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ékʷeh₂ | water |
via Middle English ai
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | ai | Alternative form of þei |
via Middle English aȝȝ
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | aȝȝ | — |