Where does “owing” come from?
Owing derives from English owe, from Middle English owen, from Old English āgen, from Proto-Germanic aiganą, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eyḱ-, meaning to possess or own.
owing (English): Still to be paid; owed as a debt; present...
Definitions
- Still to be paid; owed as a debt; present...
Ancestry of “owing”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | owe | To be under an obligation to give something back... |
| 2 | Middle English | owen | To own, possess, have control over, have... |
| 3 | Old English | āgan | to own, possess |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | aigan | to possess, to own, to have; own |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | *aiganą | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eh₂óyḱe | to possess, to own |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eyḱ- | to possess, to own |