Where does “an” come from?
an (Northern Middle English) comes from Old English ān, from Proto-West Germanic ain, from Proto-Germanic ainaz, from Proto-Indo-European óynos — one; single.
Ancestry of “an”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | ān | lonely; entirely alone, solitary, single; one |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | ain | one |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | ainaz | one; some |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | óynos | one; single |