Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “elsewhen” come from?

elsewhen (English) comes from English else, from Middle English ells, from Old English elles, from Proto-West Germanic alljas, from Proto-Germanic aljas, from Proto-Indo-European h₂élyos, from Proto-Indo-European h₂él-.

elsewhen (English): At some other time or times; somewhen else

Definitions

  1. At some other time or times; somewhen else

Ancestry of “elsewhen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishelseOther; in addition to previously mentioned items;...
2Middle Englishells—
3Old Englishellesother, else; other, otherwise, different
4Proto-West Germanicalljaselse, otherwise, besides
5Proto-Germanicaljasof another, of something else
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂élyosother, another
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂él-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂él- →