Where does “forsitan” come from?

forsitan (Latin) comes from Latin sit, from Latin sum, from Proto-Italic ezom, from Proto-Indo-European h₁ésmi, from Proto-Indo-European h₁ēs- — to be.

forsitan (Latin): perhaps, perchance

Definitions

  1. perhaps, perchance

Ancestry of “forsitan”, step by step

forsitan traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Latin sit

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinsitthird-person singular present active subjunctive...
2Latinsumto be, exist, have; to be there; to go
3Proto-Italicezomto be
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁ésmifirst-person singular present indicative of...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁ēs-to be

via Latin fōrs

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinfōrsluck, chance
2Proto-Italicfortisluck, chance
3Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰértisthe act of carrying, bearing
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰer-to bear, carry

via Latin an

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinanor, or whether
2Proto-Italican
3Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂enthere
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁ēs-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁ésmiEvery word from Proto-Italic ezom