Where does “withal” come from?

withal (Middle English) comes from Middle English wiþ, from Old English wiþ, from Old English wiþer, from Proto-West Germanic wiþr, from Proto-Germanic wiþrą, from Proto-Indo-European wī-tero-, from Proto-Indo-European wi — apart, asunder; away from, against.

Ancestry of “withal”, step by step

withal traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English wiþ

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishwiþwith
2Old Englishwiþagainst, opposite; along, towards; with
3Old Englishwiþertoward, against; again, against; against, in...
4Proto-West Germanicwiþrtoward, against
5Proto-Germanicwiþrątoward, against
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwī-tero-further apart
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwiapart, asunder; away from, against

via Middle English al

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishalAlternative form of all; completely, entirely
2Middle Englishallall; all, every
3Old Englisheallall; whole, entire; everything
4Proto-West Germanicallall
5Proto-Germanicallazall
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂él-to grow, nourish

Words derived from “withal”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European wi →Every word from Proto-Indo-European wī-tero- →Every word from Proto-Germanic wiþrą →