Where does “even Homer nods” come from?
even Homer nods (English) comes from English even, from Middle English even, from Old English efn, from Proto-West Germanic ebn, from Proto-Germanic ebnaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₁émnos — equal, straight; flat, level, even.
even Homer nods (English): Even the most vigilant and expert are prone to error
Definitions
- Even the most vigilant and expert are prone to error
Ancestry of “even Homer nods”, step by step
even Homer nods traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English even
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | even | Flat and level; Without great variation; Equal in... |
| 2 | Middle English | even | smoothly, evenly |
| 3 | Old English | efn | equal, level, even |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | ebn | even, level |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | ebnaz | even, level |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁émnos | equal, straight; flat, level, even |
via English w:Homer
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | w:Homer | — |