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
- Nearest in place or position, having nothing...
Ancestry of “next”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | nexte | — |
| 2 | Old English | nīehst | nearest, next |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | **nāhwist(ō) | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | nēhwist | nearest, closest |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | nēhw | near, close |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | nēhwaz | near, close |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂nḗḱwos | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂neḱ- | to reach, to attain |
Words derived from “next”