English
similar
Similar comes from French similaire, from Medieval Latin similaris, extended from Latin similis ‘like’, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sem- ‘one’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-‘one, together’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-h₂-lo-reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*semalis‘similar’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsimilis‘like’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500similaris
- Frenchc. 1600–presentsimilaire
- Englishearliest quotation 1908similar
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-‘one, together’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-h₂-lo-reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*semalis‘similar’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsimilis‘like’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500similaris
- Frenchc. 1600–presentsimilaire
- Englishearliest quotation 1908similar
Earliest quotation: 1908, William Blair Morton Ferguson, New York: “So this was my future home, I thought! Certainly…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sem- ‘together, one’
some, same, single, seem, soft, simple, simply, sam, resemble, sincerely, anomaly, resemblance, simultaneous, singular, sincerity, anomalous, homeopathic, synapse, homology, hyphen, insincere, assimilate, sempre, synchronise, homolog, 47 more
through Latin similis ‘like’
assemble, simulation, semblance, simulate, assemblage, simulacrum, 21 more
Today it means
adj Having traits or characteristics in common; alike, allied, comparable.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sem- / similar