Etymograph

English

someone

Someone comes from Middle English sum on.

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sum on1
  2. Englishearliest quotation 2010someone1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English someone
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2010, Michael E Kanell, Michael E. Kanell: “Or rather, to someone. Many someones, in fact. But…”.

Lineage

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sum onWiktionary, English someone
  2. Englishearliest quotation 2010someoneWiktionary, English someone. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2010, Michael E Kanell, Michael E. Kanell: “Or rather, to someone. Many someones, in fact. But…”

Every English word from Middle English sum on

Today it means

pron One or some person of unspecified or indefinite identity.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “someone”. 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 sum on / someone

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