Where does “young” come from?
Young comes from Middle English yong, from Old English ġeong, from Proto-Germanic jungaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₂yuh₁en-.
young (English): In the early part of growth or life; born not...
Definitions
- In the early part of growth or life; born not...
Ancestry of “young”, step by step
young traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English yong
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | yong | Early in growth or life; young; Characteristic of... |
| 2 | Old English | ġeong | young |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | jung | young |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | jungaz | young |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | juwungaz | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | yuwn̥kós | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂yuh₁en- | young |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ey- | vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning |
via Middle English yonge
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | yonge | Alternative form of yong |