one
The number 1; a single unit or individual.
PIE *h₁óynosView full root page →
Etymology
From Old English ān, from Proto-Germanic *ainaz. This traces to PIE *h₁óynos meaning "one, single, alone." The same root gave Latin ūnus, which produced English "unit," "union," and "universe."
The Journey: *h₁óynos → one
PIE~4500 BCE
*h₁óynos
Proto-Germanic~500 BCE
*ainaz
Old English~500 CE
ān
Modern English~1500 CE
one
Cognates Across Languages
These words in other languages descend from the same PIE root *h₁óynos. They are not borrowings but independent inheritances from a common ancestor.
| Language | Word |
|---|---|
| Greek | oínē (ace on a die) |
| Latin | ūnus |
| Gothic | ains |
| Sanskrit | éka- |
| Old Irish | óin |
| Lithuanian | vienas |
Did You Know?
The indefinite article "a/an" descends from the same Old English ān "one." Saying "a book" is historically saying "one book."
This word descends from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₁óynos. See the full root page for descendant trees, sound law references, and scholarly discussion.