soon

Pronunciation

• IPA: /suːn/^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English sone, inherited from Old English sōna (“at once, immediately”),^[2][3][4] from Proto-Germanic *sæno,^[2][3] whose relatives include Old Frisian sōn (“at once”) and Old High German sān.^[3][2] Barnhart notes that it is not found in Scandinavian and is obsolete in most other Germanic languages.^[3] It is related to eftsoons.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

At once, immediately: Old English sōna, before 830.^[3]

Semantic evolution

The word has grown less urgent over the centuries: in Old English it meant “immediately”, and by early Middle English “within a short time”,^[2][6] like presently after it.^[6] Because sōna meant “at once”, Old English had no comparative or superlative;^[3] sonre and sonest appear by about 1200, once the sense had widened to “before long, quickly, readily”.^[3] The spelling soon is from about 1250.^[3] As soon, “rather”, is from 1457^[7] or the late 16th century,^[6] sooner you than me from the 15th century,^[6] and sooner or later from the 1570s.^[2]

Timeline

• before 830 – Old English sōna, at once.^[3]
• c. 1200 – sooner, soonest.^[3]
• c. 1250 – the spelling soon.^[3]
• 1457 – as soon, rather.^[7]
• 1570s – sooner or later.^[2]

Modern meaning

Adverb

1. In a short time; shortly.
2. Promptly, quickly.
3. Early: too soon.
4. Willingly, readily: I'd as soon stay.
5. (obsolete) Immediately.

Word family

• eftsoons
• sooner or later
• as soon as

Related words

• anon
• presently

Usage notes

The American Heritage Dictionary notes that no sooner should be followed by than, not when: no sooner had she come than the maid knocked.^[8]

References

1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
2. ^ a b c d e f Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
4. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (2000), 4th ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
5. ^ Klein, Ernest. A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the English Language. 2 vols. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1966–1967.
6. ^ a b c d Cresswell, Julia (2021), Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
7. ^ a b Kay, Christian; Roberts, Jane; Samuels, Michael; Wotherspoon, Irené, eds. (2009), Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford: Oxford University Press; online edition (2024)
8. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin