Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “without” come from?

Without derives from Middle English withoute, from Old English wiþūtan, a compound of wi "against" and ūtan "outside."

without (English): Outside, externally. This is still used in the...

Definitions

  1. Outside, externally. This is still used in the...

Ancestry of “without”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishwithoutewithout
2Old Englishwiþūtan—

Words derived from “without”

  • withoutness
  • withoutdoors
  • wherewithout
Every word from Old English wiþūtan →