Where does “than” come from?
Than comes from Middle English than, from Old English þanne, from Proto-Germanic þan, from Proto-Indo-European só, a demonstrative pronoun that developed into the comparative conjunction.
than (English): Used in comparisons, to introduce the basis of...
Definitions
- Used in comparisons, to introduce the basis of...
Ancestry of “than”, step by step
than traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English than
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | than | then |
| 2 | Old English | þanne | Alternative form of þonne |
| 3 | Old English | þonne | then, at that time; then, soon afterward; then,... |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | þannā | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | þan | then, at that time |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | þam | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | tóm | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | só | this; that |
via Middle English thanne
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | thanne | Alternative form of than |