from (English)

Where does "from" come from?

The word 'from' traces its roots back to the Proto-Germanic term *fram, meaning 'forward' or 'away.' This root evolved through Old English and Middle English, shifting from a general sense of forward motion into the common preposition we now use to denote origin, separation, or starting points. It shares a deep linguistic ancestry with various Germanic languages, all stemming from the Proto-Indo-European root for 'forward' or 'in front.'

Full etymology tree

• from (English), 'Used to indicate source or provenance.'
  • inherited from (Middle English), 'from'
    • inherited from (Old English), 'bold, firm, resolute'
      • inherited *fram (Proto-Germanic), 'from'
        • derived *pro- (Proto-Indo-European), 'toward, forward'
  • influence frá (Old Norse), 'from, away from, about'
    • inherited *fram (Proto-Germanic), 'from'
      • derived *pro- (Proto-Indo-European), 'toward, forward'

Direct ancestors

• from (Middle English)
• from (Old English)
• fram (Proto-Germanic)
• frem (Danish)
• fra (Danish)
• fram (Swedish)
• från (Swedish)
• fram (Norwegian Nynorsk)

Updated June 2026

Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris