Where does “ago” come from?
ago (Middle English) comes from Middle English agon, from Old English āgan, from Proto-West Germanic aigan, from Proto-Germanic *aiganą, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eh₂óyḱe, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eyḱ- — to possess, to own.
Ancestry of “ago”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | agon | passed; to depart, escape, pass |
| 2 | Old English | āgan | to own, possess |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | aigan | to possess, to own, to have; own |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | *aiganą | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eh₂óyḱe | to possess, to own |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eyḱ- | to possess, to own |