Where does “eerste” come from?
eerste (Middle Dutch) comes from Old Dutch ēristo, from Proto-Germanic airist, from Proto-Germanic airi, from Proto-Germanic airiz — earlier, before; comparative degree of *airi.
Ancestry of “eerste”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Dutch | ēristo | — |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | airist | earliest, at first; superlative degree of *airi |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | airi | early |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | airiz | earlier, before; comparative degree of *airi |