Where does “somewhy” come from?

somewhy (English) comes from English why, from Middle English why, from Old English hwȳ, from Proto-Germanic hwī, from Proto-Indo-European kʷey, from Proto-Indo-European kʷis — interrogative, relative stem; who, what;...

somewhy (English): For some reason

Definitions

  1. For some reason

Ancestry of “somewhy”, step by step

somewhy traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English why

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwhyFor what cause, reason, or purpose; For which...
2Middle Englishwhy—
3Old Englishhwȳwhy
4Proto-Germanichwīhow, with what, by what means; instrumental of...
5Proto-Indo-Europeankʷey—
6Proto-Indo-Europeankʷisinterrogative, relative stem; who, what;...

via English some

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsomeA certain number, at least two; An indefinite...
2Middle Englishsomsome
3Old Englishsumsome
4Proto-West Germanic*sumsome
5Proto-Germanicsumazsome (one), a certain (one)
6Proto-Indo-Europeansem-together, one
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷis →Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷey →Every word from Proto-Germanic hwī →