Where does “plain and simple” come from?
plain and simple (English) comes from English plain, from Middle English pleyn, from Anglo-Norman pleyn, from Old French playn, from Old French plain, from Latin plēnus, from Proto-Italic plēnos, from Proto-Indo-European pl̥h₁nós — to fill.
plain and simple (English): Clearly, without any doubt or complexity
Definitions
- Clearly, without any doubt or complexity
Ancestry of “plain and simple”, step by step
plain and simple traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English plain
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | plain | Flat, level; Simple; Obvious |
| 2 | Middle English | pleyn | clear; unambiguous |
| 3 | Anglo-Norman | pleyn | Alternative form of plein |
| 4 | Old French | playn | — |
| 5 | Old French | plain | full; plain; flat |
| 6 | Latin | plēnus | full; filled; complete |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | plēnos | full |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pl̥h₁nós | full |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pleh₁- | to fill |
via English simple
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | simple | Uncomplicated; taken by itself, with nothing... |
| 2 | Middle English | symple | virtuous, godly, without sin; simple, spartan,... |
| 3 | Old French | simple | innocent; mere; simple; honest; without pretense |
| 4 | Latin | simplex | single; simple, plain, uncompounded; pure,... |
| 5 | Latin | -plex | -fold |
| 6 | Latin | plicō | to fold, bend or flex; to roll up |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pleḱ- | to fold, plait, weave |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pel- | to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold |
via English AND
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | AND | Alternative form of ∧, the conjunction operator;... |
| 2 | Middle English | and | and, and then; however, yet, but, though. while;... |
| 3 | Old English | and | and; even; also |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | andi | in addition, furthermore, and |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énti | opposite; near; in front |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énts | forehead; front |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ent- | face; forehead; front |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂en- | on, onto |