Where does “wherethan” come from?

wherethan (English) comes from English Than, from Middle English than, from Old English þanne, from Old English þonne, from Proto-West Germanic þannā, from Proto-Germanic þan, from Proto-Germanic þam, from Proto-Indo-European tóm — this; that.

wherethan (English): Than which

Definitions

  1. Than which

Ancestry of “wherethan”, step by step

wherethan traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Than

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishThanThangadh, a town in the Indian state of Gujarat
2Middle Englishthanthen
3Old EnglishþanneAlternative form of þonne
4Old Englishþonnethen, at that time; then, soon afterward; then,...
5Proto-West Germanicþannā
6Proto-Germanicþanthen, at that time
7Proto-Germanicþam
8Proto-Indo-Europeantóm
9Proto-Indo-Europeanthis; that

via English where

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwhereWhile on the contrary; although; whereas; At or...
2Middle Englishwherwhere
3Old Englishhwǣrwhere
4Old English-aEnding forming adverbs; nominative masculine...
5Proto-GermanicCreates feminine nouns from roots and stems
6Proto-Germanic-ly; Forms agent nouns, often from the zero-grade...
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanDerives nouns from roots
Every word from Proto-Indo-European Every word from Proto-Indo-European tómEvery word from Proto-Germanic þam