Etymograph

English

time

Time comes from Old English tīma ‘time, period’, from Proto-Germanic *tīmô ‘a division, period’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *deh₂y- ‘to divide’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*deh₂y-‘to divide’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*déh₂imōreconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*tīmô‘division, period; time’reconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*tīmōreconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150tīma‘time, period’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500tyme
  7. Englishearliest quotation c. 1599–1602time

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*deh₂y-‘to divide’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*déh₂imōreconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*tīmô‘division, period; time’reconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*tīmōreconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150tīma‘time, period’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500tyme
  7. Englishearliest quotation c. 1599–1602time

Earliest quotation: c. 1599–1602, William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: “The time is out of ioynt: O curſed ſpight,…”

The story

Not related to Latin tempus.

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *deh₂y- ‘to divide’

till, demon, tide, tease, til, daemon, tass, daimon, 24 more

through Middle English tyme ‘the concept of time or duration’

thyme, 2 more

Today it means

noun The inevitable progression into the future with the passing of present and past events.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *deh₂y- / time

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