English
also
Also comes from Old English eallswā ‘just like, likewise’, and ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *allswā ‘completely so’, a compound of *all ‘all’ and *swā ‘so’.
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*allswā1‘completely so; likewise’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150eallswā1‘just as, likewise’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500also1
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1709also1
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
- 1 Wiktionary, English also
- Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: c. 1709, John Strype: “[…] thereupon the queen's majesty […] did send a…”.
Lineage
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*allswāWiktionary, English also‘completely so; likewise’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150eallswāWiktionary, English also‘just as, likewise’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500alsoWiktionary, English also
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1709alsoWiktionary, English also. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: c. 1709, John Strype: “[…] thereupon the queen's majesty […] did send a…”
A compound of *all ‘all’ + *swā ‘so, thus, in this manner’
Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘to grow, nourish’
Proto-Indo-European *h₂elnós
Proto-Germanic *allaz ‘all’
Proto-West Germanic *all ‘all’
Proto-Indo-European *swé ‘self’
Proto-Germanic *swa ‘so, thus, in this manner’
Proto-West Germanic *swā ‘so, thus, in this manner’
Word family
English words that share an ancestor with also, grouped by the ancestor they share, most familiar first.
Explore everything descended from *allswā →
No ads, ever. This is how the app stays alive.
Become a founding member, $29 onceWear this word, $32Support the app
Today it means
adv In addition; besides; as well; further; too.
Sources
Sources: Wiktionary, “also”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.
Etymograph / Proto-West Germanic *allswā / also