Etymograph

English

above

Above comes from Old English bufan ‘over’, from Proto-Germanic *ubanē ‘from above’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *upó ‘up’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*upó‘up’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*ub‘under’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*ubanē‘from above’reconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*obanāreconstructed
  5. Proto-West Germanic, derivedc. 200–500 CE*biobanāreconstructed
  6. Old Englishc. 450–1150bufan‘over’
  7. Old English, derivedc. 450–1150ābufan
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500above
  9. Englishearliest quotation 1594above

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*upó‘up’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*ub‘under’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*ubanē‘from above’reconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*obanāreconstructed
  5. Proto-West Germanic, derivedc. 200–500 CE*biobanāreconstructed
  6. Old Englishc. 450–1150bufan‘over’
  7. Old English, derivedc. 450–1150ābufan
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500above
  9. Englishearliest quotation 1594above

Earliest quotation: 1594, Christopher Marlowe, Edward II: “Thy worth, sweet friend, is far above my gifts”.

The story

The preposition, the adjective, and the noun derive from the adverb.

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *upó ‘up’

suggest, sub, sum, suspicion, upwards, hypo, subaltern, 8 more

through Proto-Germanic *ub ‘under’

up, upper, upward, oft, 1 more

Today it means

prep Physically over; on top of; worn on top of, said of clothing.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *upó / above

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