Where does “and” come from?
and (Old English) comes from Proto-Germanic andi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂énti, from Proto-Indo-European h₂énts, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ent-, from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- — on, onto.
and (Old English): and; even; also
Ancestry of “and”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Proto-Germanic | andi | in addition, furthermore, and |
| 2 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énti | opposite; near; in front |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énts | forehead; front |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ent- | face; forehead; front |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂en- | on, onto |