Where does “next” come from?

Next derives from Middle English nexte, from Old English nīehsta, a superlative form meaning nearest or most nigh.

next (English): Nearest in place or position, having nothing...

Definitions

  1. Nearest in place or position, having nothing...

Ancestry of “next”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishnextenext
2Old Englishnīehstnearest, next
3Proto-West Germanic**nāhwist(ō)nearest, closest
4Proto-Germanicnēhwistnearest, closest
5Proto-Germanicnēhwnear, close
6Proto-Germanicnēhwaznear, close
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂nḗḱwos—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂neḱ-to reach, to attain

Words derived from “next”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂neḱ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂nḗḱwos →Every word from Proto-Germanic nēhwaz →