as

as · adverb, conjunction, preposition¹

1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-der.?
2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂elnós
3. Proto-Germanic*allaz
4. Proto-West Germanic*all
5. Proto-Indo-European*swéder.?
6. Proto-Germanic*swa
7. Proto-West Germanic*swā
8. Proto-West Germanic*allswā
9. Old Englisheallswā
10. Middle Englishalso
11. Middle Englishas
12. English todayas

From Middle English as, als(a), alswa, from Old English eallswā (“just so; as”), thus representing a reduced form of also. Compare German Low German a(l)s, German als, Dutch als.

as · noun²

1. Latin · borrowed fromas
2. English todayas

Borrowed from Latin as. Doublet of ace.

as · noun³

From a + -s.

as · adverb⁴

Shortening of as hell or as fuck or similar.

AS · phrase⁵

1. Arabic · derived fromعَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ“peace be upon him”
2. English todayAS

From Arabic عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ (ʕalayhi s-salāmu, “peace be upon him”), placed after the name of holy persons in Islamic texts.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• to 19th century Introducing a comparison with a hypothetical state (+ subjunctive, or with the verb elided): as though, as if.
• from 14th c. Functioning as a relative conjunction, and sometimes like a relative pronoun: that, which, who. (See usage notes.)