Where does “the” come from?
the (Middle English) comes from Middle English in, from Old English inn, from Old English inne, from Proto-Germanic innai, from Proto-Germanic in, from Proto-Indo-European én — in.
the (Middle English): the; Second-person singular pronoun indicating a...
Definitions
- the; Second-person singular pronoun indicating a...
Ancestry of “the”, step by step
the traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English in
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | in | Any kind of accomodation; particularly; A home or... |
| 2 | Old English | inn | in; inn |
| 3 | Old English | inne | inside, in; indoors |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | innai | within, inside |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | in | in; into |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | én | in |