each

The story

1. Proto-West Germanic*aiwgahwalīk
2. Old Englishǣġhwelċ
3. Old Englishǣlċ
4. Middle Englishech
5. English todayeach

From Middle English ech, eche, elche, ilch, from Old English ǣlċ, contraction of ǣġhwelċ. Comparable to aye + alike. Compare Scots ilk, elk (“each, every”), Saterland Frisian älk (“each”), West Frisian elk, elts (“each”), Dutch elk (“each”), Low German elk, ellik (“each”), German Low German elk, elke (“each, every”), German jeglicher (“any”). By surface analysis, Old English ā + which.