Where does “or” come from?
Or comes from Middle English or, from Latin aurum meaning gold, from Latin aura meaning breeze or glow, from Ancient Greek αὔρα meaning breeze, from Ancient Greek ἀήρ meaning air, from Proto-Indo-European h₂weh₁- and h₂ews-.
or (English): Connects at least two alternative words, phrases,...
Definitions
- Connects at least two alternative words, phrases,...
Ancestry of “or”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | or | Alternative form of youre; Alternative form of... |
| 2 | Old English | ōra | ore, unwrought metal |
| 3 | Old English | ēar | sea, ocean; grave, earth |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | ahaz | ear |
| 5 | Proto-Finnic | ahtas | narrow, cramped |
| 6 | Proto-Baltic | anśtas | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énǵʰus | narrow, tight |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂enǵʰ- | to constrict, tighten, compress; narrow, tight;... |