Where does “never” come from?
Never derives from Middle English nevere, from Old English næfre, a compound of Old English ne and Old English ne, ultimately from Proto-Germanic ne and Proto-Indo-European ne, both meaning "not."
never (English): At no time; on no occasion; in no circumstance;...
Definitions
- At no time; on no occasion; in no circumstance;...
Ancestry of “never”, step by step
never traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English navere
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | navere | — |
via Middle English nævere
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | nævere | — |