Once
/wʌns/noun
At one time; on one occasion.
Did you know?The word 'once' is derived from an Old English term that hints at the inexorable passage of time, reminding us that every moment is fleeting and irreversible.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₁entā
“Denoting a singular occurrence or happening.”
Old English
Old English
ānce
“At one time, a single occasion.”
Middle English
Middle English
ones
“Indicating one occurrence in the past.”
Modern English
English
once
“Referring to a single time or occasion in the past.”