English word soft comes from Proto-Indo-European *sm̥-h₂-ó-, and later Middle English (1100-1500) softe (Soft (not hard).)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *sm̥-h₂-ó- | Proto-Indo-European (ine) | summer, year |
| *semptio- | Proto-Indo-European (ine) | |
| *sem(p)tio- | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | |
| *samftijaz | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | Being at the same level; even; flat. Easy; light. Not rough or uneven; smooth. |
| sēfte | Old English (ca. 450-1100) (ang) | |
| sōfte | Old English (ca. 450-1100) (ang) | |
| softe | Middle English (1100-1500) (enm) | Soft (not hard). |
| soft | English (en) | A soft or foolish person; an idiot. (archaic) Be quiet; hold; stop; not so fast. (UK, colloquial) Foolish.. (UK, of a man) Effeminate.. (linguistics) Voiced; sonant.. (linguistics, Slavic languages) palatalized. (linguistics, rare) voiceless. (of a person) Physically or emotionally weak.. (of a sound) Quiet.. (of cloth or similar material) Smooth and flexible; not rough, rugged, or harsh.. [...] |