Where does “einest” come from?

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

Ancestry of “einest”, step by step

einest traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old High German eines

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

via Old High German einēst

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old High Germaneinēstonce
Every word from Proto-Indo-European óynos →Every word from Proto-Germanic ainaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic ain →