Etymologically
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soon

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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Old Frisian sōn (“at once”) and Old High German sān.[3][2] Barnhart notes that it is not found in Scandinavian and is obsolete in most other Germanic languages.[3] It is related to eftsoons.[5]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
  • 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