Where does “when” come from?
When derives from Middle English whan, from Old English hwænne, blending Old English winnan and Proto-Indo-European kʷo-, wen-, and kʷos roots whose original sense remains unclear.
when (English): At what time? At which time? Upon which occasion...
Definitions
- At what time? At which time? Upon which occasion...
Ancestry of “when”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | when | Alternative form of whenne; Alternative form of... |
| 2 | Middle English | whan | whom; Alternative form of whenne; Alternative... |
| 3 | Old English | hwōn | little, few, a little, trifle, somewhat, a little... |
Words derived from “when”