Where does “then(ne)” come from?
then(ne) (Middle English) comes from Old English þanne, from Old English þonne, from Proto-West Germanic þannā, from Proto-Germanic þan, from Proto-Germanic þam, from Proto-Indo-European tóm, from Proto-Indo-European só — this; that.
Ancestry of “then(ne)”, step by step
then(ne) traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old English þanne
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | þanne | Alternative form of þonne |
| 2 | Old English | þonne | then, at that time; then, soon afterward; then,... |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | þannā | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | þan | then, at that time |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | þam | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | tóm | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | só | this; that |
via Old English þænne
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | þænne | Alternative form of þanne; then, at that time |