Where does “an” come from?

an (Scots) comes from Old English and, 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.

an (Scots): and; a, an

Definitions

  1. and; a, an

Ancestry of “an”, step by step

an traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English and

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishandand; even; also
2Proto-Germanicandiin addition, furthermore, and
3Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntiopposite; near; in front
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntsforehead; front
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto

via Middle English oon

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishoonone; singly, by oneself, by itself
2Old Englishānlonely; entirely alone, solitary, single; one
3Proto-West Germanicainone
4Proto-Germanicainazone; some
5Proto-Indo-Europeanóynosone; single

Words derived from “an”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ent- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂énts →