Where does “even Jove nods” come from?
even Jove nods (English) comes from English even Homer nods, 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.
Ancestry of “even Jove nods”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | even Homer nods | Even the most vigilant and expert are prone to error |
| 2 | English | even | Flat and level; Without great variation; Equal in... |
| 3 | Middle English | even | smoothly, evenly |
| 4 | Old English | efn | equal, level, even |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | ebn | even, level |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | ebnaz | even, level |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁émnos | equal, straight; flat, level, even |