Etymograph

English

away

Away comes from Old English āweġ, originally on weġ ‘on one’s way’, from Proto-Germanic *wegaz ‘way’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- ‘to bring, transport’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*weǵʰ-‘to bring, transport’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wegaz‘way’reconstructed
  3. Old Englishc. 450–1150on weġ‘on one's way’
  4. Old English, derivedc. 450–1150āweġ‘away’
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500away
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1921same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*weǵʰ-‘to bring, transport’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*wegaz‘way’reconstructed
  3. Old Englishc. 450–1150on weġ‘on one's way’
  4. Old English, derivedc. 450–1150āweġ‘away’
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500away
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1921same form

Earliest quotation: 1921, Ben Travers, Garden City: “The departure was not unduly prolonged.[…]Within the door Mrs.…”

Formed from a- ‘on’ + way

Proto-Indo-European *uds- ‘up, out’

Proto-Germanic *uz- ‘out-’

Proto-West Germanic *uʀ- ‘up, out, over’

English a-

Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- ‘to bring’

Proto-Germanic *wegaz

Proto-West Germanic *weg ‘way’

Old English weġ

Middle English way

English way

Every English word from Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ-

Today it means

adv From a place, hence.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- / away

Shirt and support for this word