English
also
Also comes from Old English eallswā ‘just like, likewise’, and ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *allswā ‘completely so’, a compound of *all ‘all’ and *swā ‘so’.
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*allswā‘completely so; likewise’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150eallswā‘just as, likewise’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500also
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1709also
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*allswā‘completely so; likewise’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150eallswā‘just as, likewise’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500also
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1709also
Earliest quotation: c. 1709, John Strype: “[…] thereupon the queen's majesty […] did send a…”
A compound of *all ‘all’ + *swā ‘so, thus, in this manner’
Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘to grow, nourish’
Proto-Indo-European *h₂elnós
Proto-Germanic *allaz ‘all’
Proto-West Germanic *all ‘all’
Proto-Indo-European *swé ‘self’
Proto-Germanic *swa ‘so, thus, in this manner’
Proto-West Germanic *swā ‘so, thus, in this manner’
Linked words
through Old English eallswā ‘just as, just so’
Today it means
adv In addition; besides; as well; further; too.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-West Germanic *allswā / also