Where does “whereabout” come from?
whereabout (English) comes from English where, from Middle English wher, from Old English hwǣr, from Old English -a, from Proto-Germanic -ō, from Proto-Germanic -ô, from Proto-Indo-European -ō — Derives nouns from roots.
whereabout (English): About which; concerning which; About where
Definitions
- About which; concerning which; About where
Ancestry of “whereabout”, step by step
whereabout traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English where
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | where | While on the contrary; although; whereas; At or... |
| 2 | Middle English | wher | where |
| 3 | Old English | hwǣr | where |
| 4 | Old English | -a | Ending forming adverbs; nominative masculine... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | -ō | Creates feminine nouns from roots and stems |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | -ô | -ly; Forms agent nouns, often from the zero-grade... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -ō | Derives nouns from roots |
via English about
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | about | In a circle around; all round; on every side of;... |
| 2 | Middle English | aboute | around |
| 3 | Old English | onbūtan | about, round about, all around |
| 4 | Old English | on- | forming verbs and adjectives from participles and... |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | ana- | Forming verbs and adjectives from participles and... |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | ana | on, at; on, onto; ana |