Where does “only” come from?
Only derives from Middle English oonly, from Old English ānlīċ, from Proto-Germanic ainalīkaz, meaning sole or single in form or nature.
only (English): Alone in a category; Singularly superior; the...
Definitions
- Alone in a category; Singularly superior; the...
Ancestry of “only”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | oonly | alone, apart; only, sole, unique; peerless,... |
| 2 | Old English | ānlīċ | only |
| 3 | Old English | ān | lonely; entirely alone, solitary, single; one |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | ain | one |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | ainaz | one; some |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | óynos | one; single |
Words derived from “only”