Where does “ofttimes” come from?
Ofttimes comes from Middle English oft times, combining oft (frequently) with times, the plural of time from Old English tīma, ultimately deriving from Latin thema and Ancient Greek thema meaning a set or established position.
ofttimes (English): often; frequently
Definitions
- often; frequently
Ancestry of “ofttimes”, step by step
ofttimes traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English Times
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Times | A common name (often in combination) for a newspaper or periodical, especially The Times (published in the United Kingdom), but also The New York Times, The Times of India, Radio Times, etc |
| 2 | English | times | plural of time; API pl; The circumstances of a... |
| 3 | English | time | The inevitable progression into the future with... |
| 4 | Middle English | time | Alternative form of tyme |
| 5 | Old French | thym | — |
| 6 | Latin | thymum | thyme; accusative singular of thymus |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | θύμον | thyme |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | θύω | I offer in sacrifice, slay, burn, immolate; I... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰewh₂- | smoke; mist, haze |