Where does “de” come from?

de (Translingual) comes from French dé, from Middle French de, from Old French dé, from Latin dē, from Latin post, from Latin poste, from Proto-Italic posti, from Proto-Indo-European pósti — afterwards, post; by, at.

Ancestry of “de”, step by step

de traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via French

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchdie; diced slice; thimble
2Middle Frenchdeof; from
3Old Frenchdie
4Latinof; concerning; about
5Latinpostbehind; after, since, besides, except; behind,...
6Latinposteablative singular of postis
7Proto-Italicpostibehind, after
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpóstiafter
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpósafterwards, post; by, at

via German Deutsch

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanDeutschGerman
2Old High Germandiutsch
3Old High GermandiutiscAlternative form of diutisk; popular, vernacular;...
4Proto-West Germanicþiudiskof the people, popular, vernacular
5Proto-Germanicþiudiskazof the people, popular; of the tribe
6Proto-Germanicþeudōpeople, tribe
7Proto-Indo-Europeantewtéh₂people, tribe
8Proto-Indo-Europeantewh₂-to swell; to crowd; to be strong
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pósEvery word from Proto-Indo-European póstiEvery word from Proto-Italic posti