Where does “alein” come from?

alein (Middle High German) comes from Middle High German ein, from Old High German ein, from Proto-West Germanic ain, from Proto-Germanic ainaz, from Proto-Indo-European óynos — one; single.

Ancestry of “alein”, step by step

alein traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle High German ein

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germaneinone
2Old High Germaneinone; only
3Proto-West Germanicainone
4Proto-Germanicainazone; some
5Proto-Indo-Europeanóynosone; single

via Middle High German āl

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germanāl—
2Old High Germanālall
3Proto-West Germanicallall
4Proto-Germanicallazall
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂él-to grow, nourish

Words derived from “alein”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European óynos →Every word from Proto-Germanic ainaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic ain →