English
how
How comes from Old English hū ‘how’, from Proto-Germanic *hwō ‘through what, how’, and ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European interrogative root *kʷ-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kʷ-‘interrogative root’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kʷís‘who, what’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*hwō‘through what, how’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CEsame formreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150hū‘how’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500how
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1596–1599same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kʷ-‘interrogative root’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kʷís‘who, what’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*hwō‘through what, how’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CEsame formreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150hū‘how’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500how
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1596–1599same form
Earliest quotation: c. 1596–1599, William Shakespeare, The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.: “Shal. How a score of ewes now? Sil. Thereafter…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *kʷ- ‘the primary interrogative root’
which, who, whether, whose, whom, neutral, quantity, ubiquitous, whence, rapunzel, ubiquity, whither, cadenza, 12 more
through Proto-Indo-European *kʷís ‘who, what’
what, when, where, why, ut, quid, quip, 5 more
through Old English hū ‘to what degree’
Another origin of how
- Old Englishc. 450–1150hōh‘promontory’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500howe
- Englishtodayhow
Today it means
adv To what degree or extent.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *kʷ- / how