Where does “nearest” come from?
Nearest derives from English near, from Middle English nere, from Old English -st, from Proto-Germanic neurô, from Proto-Indo-European negʷʰrós, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root h₂neḱ- meaning to approach or draw near.
nearest (English): Closest; superlative form of near: most near;...
Definitions
- Closest; superlative form of near: most near;...
Ancestry of “nearest”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | -est | Used to form the superlative of adjectives and... |
| 2 | Middle English | -est | Used to form the second-person singular present... |
| 3 | Old English | -est | suffix forming feminine nouns, originally from... |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | -istaz | -est |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | -istHos | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -yōs | Forms adjectives from roots, meaning "very" or... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -yoss | — |