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Origin and history of if

if(conj.)

"in case that; granting, allowing, or supposing that; on condition that;" also "although, notwithstanding that," Old English gif (initial g- in Old English pronounced with a sound close to Modern English -y-) "if, whether, so," from Proto-Germanic *ja-ba (source also of Old Saxon, Old Norse ef, Old Frisian gef, Old High German ibu, German ob, Dutch of "if, whether"), of uncertain origin or relation. Perhaps from PIE pronominal stem *i- [Watkins]; but Klein, OED suggest it probably originally from an oblique case of a noun meaning "doubt" (compare Old High German iba "condition, stipulation, doubt," Old Norse if "doubt, hesitation," Swedish jäf "exception, challenge"). As a noun from 1510s.

Entries linking to if

iffy(adj.)

1937, American English, from if + -y (2). Originally associated with President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

what-if(n.)

1973 as an adjective, 1974 as a noun, in speculations as to what might have been had circumstances or fate been different, from the interrogative phrase; see what + if.

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    quasi
    "as if, as it were," used in introducing a proposed or possible explanation, late 15c., a Latin word used in Latin in hypothetical...comparisons, "as if, just as if, as though;" in real comparisons "just as, as;" and in approximation, "somewhat like, nearly...quam "as" relative pronominal adverb of manner (from PIE root *kwo-, stem of relative and interrogative pronouns) + si "if...
    as
    Phrase as if, in Kantian metaphysics (translating German als ob), introducing a supposition not to be taken literally, is...from 1892; as an interjection of incredulity (as if!..."as if that really could happen") is attested from 1995. It duplicates Latin quasi....Phrase as it were "as if it were so" is attested from late 14c....
    civil disobedience
    If the alternative is to keep all just men in prison, or give up war and slavery, the State will not hesitate which to choose...If a thousand men were not to pay their tax-bills this year, that would not be a violent and bloody measure, as it would...This is, in fact, the definition of a peaceable revolution, if any such is possible. [Thoreau]...
    askance
    Middle English word, recorded early 14c. as ase quances and found later in Chaucer, meant "in such a way that; even as; as if...It has been analyzed as a compound of as and Old French quanses (pronounced "kanses") "how if," from Latin quam "how" + si..."if."...The M.E. askances means "as if" in other passages, but here means, "as if it were," i.e....
    Catch-22
    The catch (n.) is that a bomber pilot is insane if he flies combat missions without asking to be relieved from duty, and...Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane he had to fly them....If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to....
    gracile
    Not etymologically connected to grace but often regarded as if it is....Perhaps a dissimilation of a word related to Latin cracens "slender;" if so, perhaps cognate with Sanskrit krsah "thin, weak...
    vengeance
    Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon...
    herpes
    late 14c., "any inflammatory, spreading skin condition" (used of shingles, gangrene, etc.), from Latin herpes "a spreading skin eruption," from Greek herpes, the name for the disease shingles, literally "creeping," from herpein "to creep, move slowly" (cognate with Latin serpere
    salon
    1690s, "large room or apartment in a palace or great house," from French salon "reception room" (17c.), from Italian salone "large hall," from sala "hall," from a Germanic source (compare Old English sele, Middle English salle, Old Norse salr "hall," Old High German sal "hall, ho
    metaphysics
    "the science of the inward and essential nature of things," 1560s, plural of Middle English metaphisik, methaphesik (late 14c.), "branch of speculation which deals with the first causes of things," from Medieval Latin metaphysica, neuter plural of Medieval Greek (ta) metaphysika,

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