son
/sʌn/
noun
Origin
Proto-Germanic
*sunuz — son
Overview
Meaning Now
- A male offspring in relation to his parents.
- A male person considered as a successor or inheritor, or as representing a particular place or group.
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Proto-Germanic → Old English → English
Earliest form
sunu
Earliest period
Old English
Journey
The word is part of the common Germanic heritage, closely related to similar terms in Scandinavian and German languages. It derives from the Indo-European root meaning 'to beget' or 'to bear'.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*suHnu-
“born, offspring”
Derived from the root *sew- (to give birth).
- Proto-Germanic
*sunuz
“son”
- Old English
sunu
“son”
- Middle English
sone
“son”
- Modern English
son
“son”
Connections
Word parts
son
root
offspring
Related across languages
Old Norse
sonr
son
German
Sohn
son
Sanskrit
sūnúḥ
son
Related words
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Related to son
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.