English
something
Something comes from Middle English somþyng, from Old English sum þing ‘some thing’, a compound of some and thing.
- Old Englishc. 450–1150sum þing‘some thing’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500somþyng
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1603–1604something
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Old Englishc. 450–1150sum þing‘some thing’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500somþyng
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1603–1604something
Earliest quotation: c. 1603–1604, William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure: “Angelo. Yet giue leaue (my Lord,) That we may…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sem- ‘one, whole’
same, similar, seem, simple, simply, single, sam, soft, simulation, sincerely, resemble, assemble, resemblance, simultaneous, simulate, singular, anomaly, sincerity, semblance, assimilate, anomalous, synapse, hyphen, homology, insincere, simile, homeopathic, simulacrum, sempre, synchronise, homolog, 46 more
Today it means
pron An uncertain or unspecified thing; one thing.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Old English sum þing / something