Where does “to-” come from?
to- (Middle English) comes from Middle English to, from Middle English tone, from Latin tonus, from Ancient Greek τόνος, from Proto-Hellenic tónos, from Proto-Indo-European tónos, from Proto-Indo-European ten- — to stretch, to extend.
to- (Middle English): Affixed to verbs and verb inflections to impart a...
Definitions
- Affixed to verbs and verb inflections to impart a...
Ancestry of “to-”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | to | toe; to; too |
| 2 | Middle English | tone | the one |
| 3 | Latin | tonus | The stretching or straining of a rope; A strain;... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | τόνος | rope, cord; chord; tone, note |
| 5 | Proto-Hellenic | tónos | rope, cord; tension |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | tónos | something stretched; chord, fiber, string |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ten- | to stretch, to extend |