Where does “soeben” come from?

soeben (German) comes from German ëben, from Middle High German ëben, from Old High German eban, from Proto-West Germanic ebn, from Proto-Germanic ebnaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₁émnos — equal, straight; flat, level, even.

soeben (German): just now, quite recently (moments ago)

Definitions

  1. just now, quite recently (moments ago)

Ancestry of “soeben”, step by step

soeben traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German ëben

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanëbenflat, smooth, even of a surface
2Middle High Germanëben—
3Old High Germanebanplain, even
4Proto-West Germanicebneven, level
5Proto-Germanicebnazeven, level
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁émnosequal, straight; flat, level, even

via German sō

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germansō—
2Middle High Germansō—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁émnos →