Where does “а как же” come from?

а как же (Russian) comes from Russian как, from Old East Slavic како, from Proto-Slavic kako, from Proto-Slavic kakъ, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *kōkos.

а как же (Russian): sure!, of course!

Definitions

  1. sure!, of course!

Ancestry of “а как же”, step by step

а как же traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Russian как

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianкакhow; what; as, however much
2Old East Slavicкакоhow, in which way
3Proto-Slavickakohow, in which way
4Proto-Slavickakъof what/which kind
5Proto-Balto-Slavic*kōkos—

via Russian А

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1RussianАA, ampere
2Old East Slavicаbut, and
3Proto-Slavicabut; and
4Proto-Balto-Slavicōand; but
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁ōd—

via Russian же

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianжеand, but; on the other hand, whereas, as for, as...
2Proto-Slavicžeso that, since; "emphatic enclitic"
3Proto-Balto-Slavicge—
4Proto-Indo-EuropeanǵʰePostpositional intensifying particle: indeed, at any rate, in fact
Every word from Proto-Balto-Slavic *kōkos →Every word from Proto-Slavic kakъ →Every word from Proto-Slavic kako →
а как же — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer