Where does “somewhen” come from?
somewhen (English) comes from English some, from Middle English som, from Old English sum, from Proto-West Germanic *sum, from Proto-Germanic sumaz, from Proto-Indo-European sem- — together, one.
somewhen (English): at some time; indefinitely; some time or other,...
Definitions
- at some time; indefinitely; some time or other,...
Ancestry of “somewhen”, step by step
somewhen traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English some
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | some | A certain number, at least two; An indefinite... |
| 2 | Middle English | som | some |
| 3 | Old English | sum | some |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *sum | some |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | sumaz | some (one), a certain (one) |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sem- | together, one |
via English when
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | when | At what time? At which time? Upon which occasion... |
| 2 | Middle English | when | Alternative form of whenne; Alternative form of... |
| 3 | Middle English | whan | whom; Alternative form of whenne; Alternative... |
| 4 | Old English | hwōn | little, few, a little, trifle, somewhat, a little... |