Etymograph

English

for that

For that comes from Old English for þon ‘because’.

  1. Old Englishc. 450–1150for þon‘because’
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500for that
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1678same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Old Englishc. 450–1150for þon‘because’
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500for that
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1678same form

Earliest quotation: 1678, John Bunyan: “At this his relations were sore amazed; not for…”

The story

From Middle English for that, from an alteration of Old English for þon (þe), with the instrumental demonstrative pronoun þon replaced by nominative/accusative þæt due to levelling of the Old English declensional system in Middle English.

Every English word from Old English for þon

Today it means

conj Because.

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

Etymograph / Old English for þon / for that

Shirt and support for this word