English
young
Young comes from Middle English yong, from Old English ġeong, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂yuHn̥ḱós, from *h₂yuh₁en- ‘young’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂yuh₁en-‘young’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂yuHn̥ḱósreconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*jungazreconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*jungreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150ġeong
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500yong‘young’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1598–1600young
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂yuh₁en-‘young’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂yuHn̥ḱósreconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*jungazreconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*jungreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150ġeong
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500yong‘young’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1598–1600young
Earliest quotation: c. 1598–1600, William Shakespeare, As You Like It: “Come, come, elder brother, you are too young in…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂ey- ‘vital force, life, age, eternity’
early, age, era, diet, junior, juvenile, longevity, enigma, ere, juvenal, 24 more
Today it means
adj In the early part of growth or life; born not long ago.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂yuh₁en- / young