Homonyms, Etymologically Speaking: E

Many words have two meanings, sometimes more, which are often very different. Such words have identical spelling and pronunciation, they are known as homonyms. Here I continue an A to Z list of such words and look at how that word came to have two different meanings.

E is for even, used to mean 'equal' and also as a comparison such as in the phrase 'even when'. The etymological trail for the former begins with Old English efen, similar forms seen across the range of Germanic languages suggest earlier forms will have seen little change but unfortunately no trace of such has ever been found. The second sense, to liken, compare, is unrecorded before the 13th century and thus will have come from the adjective.

There was once a third use, from Old English aefen 'at the end of the day'. This is not related to the other words but is akin to 'eve' and 'evening'. It also reminds us that while today the day ends at midnight, once the day ended when the sun went down - which makes far more sense. Expressions featuring 'even' include: even break first appears in print in 1907; even-steven, first seen in 1866; to get even with is from 1833; and even-tempered from 1712. There are also a couple of expressions which have fallen out of use: even-old 'of the same age'; and even-sucker meaning 'foster-brother'.