Etymology Explorer › Proto-Germanic

Where does “ab” come from?

ab (Proto-Germanic) comes from Proto-Indo-European h₂epo — from, off, back; off, away; off, from.

ab (Proto-Germanic): away from; away

Definitions

  1. away from; away

Ancestry of “ab”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂epofrom, off, back; off, away; off, from

Words derived from “ab”

  • off
  • Hamilton
  • downward
  • offset
  • downstairs
  • downtown
  • downstream
  • download
  • downwards
  • whereof
  • offshore
  • downfall
  • downs
  • runoff
  • ebb
  • payoff
  • downhill
  • cutoff
  • downside
  • offline
  • sundown
  • dune
  • downturn
  • Hamiltonian
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂epo →