Where does “ehedem” come from?

ehedem (German) comes from German ehe, from Middle High German ēwe, from Old High German ēwa, from Proto-West Germanic aiw, from Proto-Germanic aiwaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eyu-, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ey- — vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning.

ehedem (German): formerly

Definitions

  1. formerly

Ancestry of “ehedem”, step by step

ehedem traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German ehe

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanehebefore, ere; rather than
2Middle High Germanēwelaw
3Old High Germanēwaeternity; law, marriage
4Proto-West Germanicaiwlong time, age, eternity; law
5Proto-Germanicaiwazlong time, age, eternity
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eyu-vitality; eternal; vital force, life, long life,...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ey-vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning

via German dem

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germandemdative masculine/neuter singular of der: the;...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ey-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eyu-Every word from Proto-Germanic aiwaz