that

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European*tód
2. Proto-Germanic*þod
3. Proto-Germanic*þat
4. Proto-West Germanic*þat
5. Old Englishþæt
6. Middle Englishthat
7. English todaythat

From Middle English that, from Old English þæt (“the, that”, neuter definite article and relative pronoun), from Proto-West Germanic *þat, from Proto-Germanic *þat. Cognate to Scots that, Saterland Frisian dät, West Frisian dat, Dutch dat, Low German dat and datt, German dass and das, Danish det, Swedish det, Icelandic það, Gothic 𐌸𐌰𐍄𐌰 (þata). Further from Proto-Indo-European *tód; compare Ancient Greek τό (tó), Sanskrit तद् (tád), Waigali ta, Lithuanian tai̇̃, Polish to.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 9ᵗʰc. The thing, person, idea, quality, event, action, or time indicated or understood from context, especially if more remote geographically, temporally or mentally than one designated as "this", or if expressing distinction.
• from 9ᵗʰc. Used to refer to a noun phrase or statement just made.
• from 9ᵗʰc. Used to emphatically affirm or deny a previous statement or question.
• from 9ᵗʰc. In a relative clause, referring to a previously mentioned noun, as subject, direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition; which, who.