Etymograph

English

however

However comes from Middle English however, how-ever, from how + -ever.

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500however1
  2. Englishearliest quotation c. 1680however1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English however
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: c. 1680, John Tillotson: “Our chief end and highest interest is happiness :…”.

Lineage

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500howeverWiktionary, English however
  2. Englishearliest quotation c. 1680howeverWiktionary, English however. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: c. 1680, John Tillotson: “Our chief end and highest interest is happiness :…”

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Today it means

adv Nevertheless; yet, still; in spite of that.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “however”. 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 / Middle English however / however