Where does “nine to five” come from?
nine to five (English) comes from English to, from Middle English to, from Middle English tone, from Latin tonus, from Ancient Greek τόνος, from Proto-Hellenic tónos, from Proto-Indo-European tónos, from Proto-Indo-European ten- — to stretch, to extend.
nine to five (English): From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m
Definitions
- From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m
Ancestry of “nine to five”, step by step
nine to five traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English to
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | to | A particle used for marking the following verb as... |
| 2 | Middle English | to | toe; to; too |
| 3 | Middle English | tone | the one |
| 4 | Latin | tonus | The stretching or straining of a rope; A strain;... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | τόνος | rope, cord; chord; tone, note |
| 6 | Proto-Hellenic | tónos | rope, cord; tension |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | tónos | something stretched; chord, fiber, string |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ten- | to stretch, to extend |