English
perhaps
Perhaps comes from Middle English perhappes, variant of perhap ‘perhaps’ (per- + hap ‘chance’), modelled on parchaunce.
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500perhap‘perhaps, possibly’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500perhappes
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1850perhaps
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500perhap‘perhaps, possibly’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500perhappes
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1850perhaps
Earliest quotation: c. 1850, Landlord, Fill the Flowing Bowl: “[…] will live until he dies perhaps, and then…”
Formed from per- + hap ‘chance, coincidence’ + -s
Proto-Indo-European *kob-
Proto-Germanic *hampą ‘good luck, chance’
Old Norse happ ‘good luck’
Middle English hap ‘luck’
English hap
The story
From Middle English perhappes, perhappous, variant of earlier perhap (‘perhaps, possibly’), equivalent to per- + hap (‘chance, coincidence’) + -s, on model of Middle English parchaunce (modern perchance).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *kob- ‘good fortune, prophecy’
through Proto-Germanic *hampą ‘good luck, chance’
through Middle English hap ‘luck’
Today it means
adv Possibly.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Middle English perhap / perhaps