English
oldness
Oldness comes from Old English eald ‘old’, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eltós ‘grown’, and ultimately from *h₂el- ‘to grow, nourish’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-‘to grow, nourish’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eltós‘grown’reconstructedpast participle of *h₂el-
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*aldaz‘old, grown-up’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*ald‘old’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150eald‘old’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150ealdnes
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500oldnesse
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1603–1606oldness
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-‘to grow, nourish’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eltós‘grown’reconstructedpast participle of *h₂el-
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*aldaz‘old, grown-up’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*ald‘old’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150eald‘old’
- Old English, derivedc. 450–1150ealdnes
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500oldnesse
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1603–1606oldness
Earliest quotation: c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of King Lear: “This policy and reverence of age makes the world…”
Formed from old + -ness
Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-
…
Proto-Germanic *aldaz ‘grown-up’
Proto-West Germanic *ald
Old English ald ‘old’
Middle English old ‘elderly’
English old
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘to grow, nourish’
as, all, else, adult, el, ultimate, element, alien, ultra, alternate, alter, ellen, alumni, qualification, outrage, alias, alpine, abolish, adolescent, alum, alibi, retaliate, alimony, alp, altruism, ulterior, parallax, proletariat, foetal, althea, coalesce, withal, 63 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂eltós ‘grown’
altitude, alt, altar, alto, exalt, altimeter, eld, 13 more
through Proto-Germanic *aldaz ‘old, grown-up’
through Proto-West Germanic *ald ‘old’
through Old English eald ‘old’
Today it means
noun The state of being old; age.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- / oldness