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sometime

Etymology and origin of the English word sometime

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
before 1100

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈsʌmˌtaɪm/[1]

Etymology

It is Middle English sum tim, from late Old English sumtīma, formed from some and time.[2][3][4] SOED notes that it was formerly spelled with a space.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

At one time or another: late Old English in Etymonline;[2] at a certain time in the past, once, 1297 in the OED.[5]

Semantic evolution

At an indefinite future time is from the late 14th century (1340 in the OED, at one time or another, with the possibility of).[2][5] In former times, formerly, is from about 1330 and obsolete.[5] The adjective, former or late, at one time, is late 15th-century, as in the sometime president.[2][6] A sometime thing, something occasional or unreliable, is from 1935.[5] Middle English also had sumtide (early 14th century).[2]

Timeline

  • late Old English – at one time or another.[2]
  • 1297 – once (obsolete).[5]
  • late 14th century – at some future time.[2]
  • late 15th century – former (adjective).[2]
  • 1935 – a sometime thing.[5]

Modern meaning

Adverb

  1. At some unspecified or unknown time: call me sometime.

Adjective

  1. Former: the sometime mayor.
  2. (US) Occasional: a sometime contributor.

Word family

Usage notes

It should not be confused with sometimes, occasionally; the phrase for a period of time is written with a space.[6][7]

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  5. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  7. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins
Cite this entry

“Sometime.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/sometime. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·