Where does “even” come from?
Even comes from Middle English even, from Old English efn, from Proto-Germanic ēbandaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₁epi meaning level or equal.
even (English): Flat and level; Without great variation; Equal in...
Definitions
- Flat and level; Without great variation; Equal in...
Ancestry of “even”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | even | — |
| 2 | Old English | efn | equal, level, even |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | ebn | even, level |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | ebnaz | even, level |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁émnos | equal, straight; flat, level, even |
Words derived from “even”