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Origin and history of oft

oft(adv.)

Old English oft "repeatedly, again and again, many times; frequently; under many circumstances," from Proto-Germanic *ufta- "frequently" (source also of Old Frisian ofta, Danish ofte, Old High German ofto, German oft, Old Norse opt, Gothic ufta "often"), a word of unknown origin, perhaps [Watkins] from a suffixed form of PIE root *upo "under."

Archaic or only poetic except in compounds (such as oft-told) and replaced by its derivative often. It also was an adjective in Middle English, "frequent, repeated." Related: Ofter; oftest.

Entries linking to oft

often(adv.)

"repeatedly, again and again, many times, under many circumstances," mid-13c., an extended form of oft, in Middle English typically before vowels and h-, probably by influence of its opposite, seldom (Middle English selden). In common use from 16c., replacing oft. Pronunciation "offen" recorded from 15c. Related: Oftener; oftenest.

*upo

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "under," also "up from under," hence "over."

It might form all or part of: above; assume; Aufklarung; eave; eavesdropper; hyphen; hypo-; hypochondria; hypocrisy; hypotenuse; hypothalamus; hypothesis; hypsi-; hypso-; opal; open; oft; often; resuscitate; somber; souffle; source; soutane; souvenir; sub-; subject; sublime; subpoena; substance; subterfuge; subtle; suburb; succeed; succinct; succor; succubus; succumb; sudden; suffer; sufficient; suffix; suffrage; suggestion; summon; supine; supple; supply; support; suppose; surge; suspect; suspend; sustain; up; up-; Upanishad; uproar; valet; varlet; vassal.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit upa "near, under, up to, on," Greek hypo "under," Latin sub "under, below," Gothic iup, Old Norse, Old English upp "up, upward," Hittite up-zi "rises."

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