Where does “olds” come from?
Olds derives from English old plus the English possessive suffix -'s, which developed from Middle English -s, itself from Old French -esse, ultimately tracing to Proto-Indo-European al- meaning to grow or nourish.
olds (English): parents; Information that is no longer new
Definitions
- parents; Information that is no longer new
Ancestry of “olds”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | Old | — |
| 2 | Middle English | old | — |
| 3 | Old English | ald | Alternative form of eald |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | *ald | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | aldaz | old, grown up |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eltós | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂él- | — |