so

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English so, also sa and swa,^[2][3][4] inherited from Old English swā, also swǣ, swē and sē,^[2][5][6] from Proto-Germanic *swa.^[6][7] Its cognates include Old Frisian sā, Old Saxon sō, Old High German sō, German so, Dutch zo, Old Norse svá, Danish så, Swedish så and Gothic 𐍃𐍅𐌰 (swa), with 𐍃𐍅𐌴 (swē, “as”) beside it.^[8][5][6] The OED calls the exact relations among the Germanic forms uncertain and disputed.^[8] Outside Germanic it is compared with Ancient Greek ὥς (hṓs, “as, like”) and with suād, the Old Latin word for "so".^[8][9][3] Etymonline, Klein and Skeat derive these from the Indo-European reflexive stem Proto-Indo-European *swe-, source of sē (“himself”),^[6][3][10] but the OED reports that other scholars prefer a demonstrative stem or a distinct stem of its own.^[8] The -w- disappeared by contraction from the 12th century.^[6] English as, also and such are formed with it.^[6][11][12]

Earliest recorded meaning

In this way, in such a manner, and to that extent: all were already senses of Old English swā, which could also serve as a conjunction and a pronoun.^[6][13] Barnhart dates it to about 700,^[9] Dictionary.com to before 900,^[14] and Merriam-Webster to before the 12th century;^[4] the OED quotes it from Beowulf and King Ælfred's Boethius.^[8]

Semantic evolution

The OED groups the adverb's history around manner, continuation, degree and comparison, and most of these are as old as the record.^[8] The degree use in affirmative clauses tended to lose its comparison and become a mere intensive,^[8] while "for that reason" became the "so" that opens a clause, and could pass into "then, thereafter".^[8][5] Johnson (1755) still put "in like manner" first.^[15] So? dismissing a statement is recorded from 1886,^[8][6] so what from 1932,^[6] and so contradicting a denial, first in American regional use, from 1913.^[8][6] American slang has used it for "utterly" since the 1920s,^[16][8] and with focus on the verb phrase since 1994.^[8] Its use in introducing an answer or explanation dates from 1999 in the OED.^[8] The bare conjunction of purpose, without that, is recorded from 1843.^[8] In slang so has meant drunk (1801) and flustered (1844).^[16] The OED records the sense homosexual from 1910,^[8] though the Shorter Oxford and Etymonline place that in the mid-20th century.^[5][6] English dialects also had so as a call to be quiet or stop.^[17]

Timeline

• c. 700 – Old English swā, in this way, to that extent.^[9]
• c. 1150 – the form so.^[9]
• before 1250 – before an adjective followed by a and a noun.^[8]
• 1530 – so-so, tolerably.^[9]
• 1587 – and so on.^[8] Etymonline dates it to 1724.^[6]
• 1596 – so-and-so, something unspecified, in Spenser.^[9]
• 1657 – so-called.^[9]
• 1821 – with emphasis, as a strong intensive.^[8]
• 1843 – conjunction, in order that, without that.^[8]
• 1886 – So?, questioning or dismissing a statement.^[8][6]
• 1913 – contradicting a negative statement, I did so.^[8][6]
• 1923 – slang, modifying a noun or an adjective, extremely.^[8]
• 1932 – so what.^[6]
• 1994 – slang, before the focus of a verb phrase, definitely.^[8]
• 1999 – introducing an answer or explanation.^[8]

Meanings

Adverb

1. In the way or manner indicated; thus: Tilt the lid so, and it comes off.^[4][18][5]
2. To such an extent: The soup was so salty that nobody finished it.^[18][4]
3. Very, extremely, as an intensifier: That was so kind of you.^[18][8]
4. To the same extent, usually with a negative: He is not so tall as his sister.^[18][5]
5. Also, likewise: Mara plays chess, and so does her brother.^[18][8]
6. (informal) Indeed, contradicting a negative statement: But I paid you so!^[18][8]
7. (slang) Utterly, definitely, often before not or a noun.^[8][16]
8. or so: approximately: thirty or so guests.^[18][4]
9. and so on, and so forth: and continuing in a similar way.^[18][8]
10. Used after relative pronouns: soever (archaic).^[8][5]

Conjunction

1. With the result that: The bridge had closed, so we took the ferry.^[4][18]
2. In order that, often with that: Speak up so that the back row can hear.^[18][4][8]
3. For that reason; therefore: She had no key, so she knocked.^[18][4]
4. Introducing a remark of surprise, resignation or sarcasm: So you're moving to Lisbon!^[18][5]
5. Then, thereupon: and so we went home.^[18][8]
6. Provided that (archaic).^[18][5][8]

Pronoun

1. Standing in for something already said or implied: Will it rain? I think so.^[18][4]

Adjective

1. True, in accordance with fact: That simply isn't so.^[18][4]
2. In a definite order, especially in just so.^[4]
3. (slang, dated) Homosexual.^[5][8]

Interjection

1. An exclamation of agreement or surprise.^[18]
2. (dialect) A call to be quiet or stop, usually doubled.^[17]

Word family

• so-and-so
• so-called
• so-so
• so far

Related words

• as
• also
• such
• whoso
• soh
• idiom
• per se
• suicide

Usage notes

Collins advises against the bare conjunction in formal English: for purpose it prefers to or in order to, and for result and so or and therefore; it also rejects so therefore.^[18] Dictionary.com takes a more relaxed view, accepting either so or so that as standard except that so that is somewhat more usual for purpose in formal language, and allowing so to open a sentence as but does.^[14] It notes that the intensive "very" is chiefly informal, and that formal use usually completes it with a that clause.^[14] In Irish English so can close a sentence, emphasising a reply or meaning "in that case",^[8] and Collins has the emphatic he's crazy, so he is.^[18] The musical note so is the same as sol.^[3]

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Kurath, Hans; Kuhn, Sherman M.; Lewis, Robert E., eds. (1952–2001), Middle English Dictionary, Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press; online edition ed. Frances McSparran et al. (2000–2018)
3. ^ a b c d Klein, Ernest. A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the English Language. 2 vols. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1966–1967.
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling
8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
9. ^ a b c d e f g Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
10. ^ Skeat, Walter W. (1911), A Concise Etymological Dictionary of the English Language, new ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
11. ^ Ayto, John (2005), Word Origins: The Secret Histories of English Words from A to Z, 2nd ed., London: A & C Black
12. ^ Partridge, Eric (1966), Origins: A Short Etymological Dictionary of Modern English, 4th ed., London: Routledge & Kegan Paul
13. ^ Bosworth, Joseph; Toller, T. Northcote (1898), An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press; Toller, T. Northcote (1921), Supplement
14. ^ a b c Dictionary.com Unabridged (2016), based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House
15. ^ Johnson, Samuel (1755), A Dictionary of the English Language, London; 4th ed. 1773; Johnson's Dictionary Online, ed. Beth Rapp Young et al.
16. ^ a b c Green, Jonathon (2010), Green's Dictionary of Slang, London: Chambers; digital ed. 2016–, https://greensdictofslang.com
17. ^ a b Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)
18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins