English
son
Son comes from Middle English sonn, from Old English sunu ‘son’, from Proto-Germanic *sunuz ‘son’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *suHnús ‘son’, from *sewH- ‘to bear, give birth’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sewH-‘to bear’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*suHnúsreconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*sunuzreconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*sunureconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150sunu
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sonn
- Englishearliest quotation 1671son
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sewH-‘to bear’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*suHnúsreconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*sunuzreconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*sunureconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150sunu
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sonn
- Englishearliest quotation 1671son
Earliest quotation: 1671, John Milton, The First Book: “From what conſummate vertue I have choſe / This…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sewH- ‘to bear’
Another origin of son
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sonen
- Englishtodayson
Another origin of son
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsonus‘tone, character, style’
- Spanishc. 1500–presentson‘tone’literally ‘tone, sound’
- Englishtodayson
Today it means
noun One's male offspring.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sewH- / son