Etymologically

Etymology and origin of the Proto-West Germanic word *andī

Confidence
Established
Formation
Inherited
Inherited from
Proto-Germanic *andijaz
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Proto-West Germanic *andī
German Ende
Old English ende
English end
From the same root
German endlich ← Ende
German Wochenende ← Ende
English endgame ← end
English weekend ← end

Reconstruction

Ringe and Taylor reconstruct *andī for Proto-West Germanic, and Wiktionary has the same form.[1][2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *andijaz (“end”),[1] which Kroonen cites as *andja-, Orel as *anđjaz and Casaretto as *andija-.[3][4][5] When unstressed *a and *ą were lost at the end of a word, a preceding *ij became *ī, so that *andijaz gave *andī.[1] This secondary long *-ī was not shortened and survived in Old English ende and Old High German enti, which shows that the shortening of original long *-ī was a very early West Germanic or, as Ringe and Taylor prefer, a Northwest Germanic change.[6]

Morphology

A ja-stem.[3][7] Kroonen finds that the oldest languages point to a masculine, and that the word became neuter in the West Germanic dialects only at a late stage.[3] Old High German has it as masculine and neuter,[7] Old Dutch as neuter,[8] and Old Saxon as masculine.[9] Hogg and Fulk set up a pre-Old English paradigm with nominative and accusative singular *andī, genitive *andijas and dative *andijai.[10] Old Frisian enda shows a move into another inflectional class.[11]

Evidence

The noun is attested in all the West Germanic languages: Old English ende, Old Frisian ende, Old Saxon endi and Old High German enti.[1] Old High German has it from the 8th century,[7] Old Saxon in the Heliand,[12] and Old Dutch in the psalms of the 9th century, where ⟨endi⟩ and ⟨einde⟩ gloss Latin fīnis,[8] and in the Middle Franconian Rhyme Bible of 1151–1200.[13]

Meanings

  1. end[1][2]

Old English also used the word for "boundary" and "backside",[14] Old Saxon for "beginning", "aim" and "result",[12][9] Old Frisian for "death", "final judgement" and "agreement",[15] and Old High German for "border", "edge", "point" and, in the plural, "land".[7]

Derivatives

  • *andijalaus "endless", which Wiktionary reconstructs;[16] Orel lists Old English endelēas and Old Saxon endilōs with Gothic and Old Norse cognates.[4]
  • Orel derives a weak verb *anđjōjanan "to end" from the noun, attested as Old English endian, Old Frisian endia, Old Saxon endion and Old High German entōn.[4]

Reflexes

  • Old English: ende (“end, boundary, backside”)[14]
  • Old Frisian: ende (“end, death, final judgement”)[15]
  • Old Saxon: endi (“end, result, beginning”)[9]
  • Old Dutch: endi (“end”)[13]
  • Old High German: enti (“end, border, edge, point”)[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Ringe, Don; Taylor, Ann (2014), The Development of Old English, A Linguistic History of English II, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 46
  2. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *andī
  3. ^ a b c Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 27
  4. ^ a b c Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 18
  5. ^ Casaretto, Antje (2004), Nominale Wortbildung der gotischen Sprache: Die Derivation der Substantive, Heidelberg: Winter, p. §2.4.1.1.1
  6. ^ Ringe, Don; Taylor, Ann (2014), The Development of Old English, A Linguistic History of English II, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 15
  7. ^ a b c d e Lloyd, Albert L.; Springer, Otto; Lühr, Rosemarie, et al. (1988–), Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Althochdeutschen, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht; online ewa.saw-leipzig.de, p. s.v. enti¹
  8. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard, Altniederfränkisches Wörterbuch, online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. endi
  9. ^ a b c Tiefenbach, Heinrich (2010), Altsächsisches Handwörterbuch / A Concise Old Saxon Dictionary, Berlin / New York: De Gruyter, p. s.v. endi
  10. ^ Hogg, Richard M.; Fulk, R. D. (2011), A Grammar of Old English, vol. 2: Morphology, Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, p. §2.23
  11. ^ Boutkan, Dirk; Siebinga, Sjoerd Michiel (2005), Old Frisian Etymological Dictionary, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 1, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. s.v. ende
  12. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. ėndi
  13. ^ a b Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org, p. s.v. endi
  14. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. ėnde
  15. ^ a b Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. ende
  16. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *andijalaus

Related etymologies

  • *stain · also from Proto-Germanic
  • *beran · also from Proto-Germanic
  • *sōkijan · also from Proto-Germanic
  • *fimf · also from Proto-Germanic
  • *hail · also from Proto-Germanic
  • *hertā · also from Proto-Germanic
  • *busk · also from Proto-Germanic
  • *reht · also from Proto-Germanic
Cite this entry

“*andī.” Etymologically, 16 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/gmw-pro/*and%C4%AB. Accessed 16 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·