Where does “en” come from?

en (Middle Dutch) comes from Middle Dutch ende, from Old Dutch endi, from Proto-West Germanic andī, from Proto-Germanic andijaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₂entíos, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ent-, from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- — on, onto.

en (Middle Dutch): Alternative form of ende

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of ende

Ancestry of “en”, step by step

en traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle Dutch ende

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Dutchendeand; end
2Old Dutchendiend
3Proto-West Germanicandīend
4Proto-Germanicandijazend
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂entíosfront; forehead
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto

via Old Dutch ne

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Dutchnenot
2Proto-Germanicnēnot
3Proto-Germanicaiwazlong time, age, eternity
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eyu-vitality; eternal; vital force, life, long life,...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ey-vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ent- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂entíos →