English
sans
Sans comes from Middle English saunz ‘without, lacking, sans’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *swé ‘self’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*swé‘self’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsine‘without’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400sans
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500saunz‘without, lacking, sans’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1595–1596sans
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*swé‘self’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsine‘without’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400sans
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500saunz‘without, lacking, sans’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1595–1596sans
Earliest quotation: c. 1595–1596, W. Shakespere [i.e., William Shakespeare]: “Bero[wne]. […] And to begin Wench, ſo God helpe…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *swé ‘self’
such, self, suicide, solo, idiot, sole, solitary, solitude, desolate, desolation, solitaire, swain, idiocy, sullen, solus, sere, 19 more
Today it means
prep Without; lacking; especially with regard to something expected or with precedent.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *swé / sans