Where does “an” come from?

an (Middle English) comes from Old English ān, from Proto-West Germanic ain, from Proto-Germanic ainaz, from Proto-Indo-European óynos — one; single.

an (Middle English): a, an indefinite article

Definitions

  1. a, an indefinite article

Ancestry of “an”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishānlonely; entirely alone, solitary, single; one
2Proto-West Germanicainone
3Proto-Germanicainazone; some
4Proto-Indo-Europeanóynosone; single

Words derived from “an”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European óynos →
an — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer