English word origin

Etymology of ar

From Middle English *ar, arres pl, from earlier *er.

2 source sectionsBrief source recordWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

noun

The name of the Latin script letter R/r.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English *ar, arres pl, from earlier *er.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "",
        "4": "*ar"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English *ar"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "arres",
      "arres#Middle_English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "Malay",
      "lang_code": "ms",
      "word": "ar",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    },
    {
      "lang": "Tagalog",
      "lang_code": "tl",
      "word": "ar",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "The name of the Latin script letter R/r."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "a106a36a57b73ea143815abf5f90163fbcec45ea8be365bc99f8970f4df3094e",
      "rawRecordSha256": "bbf2a9e3959c4da22101df865b91584215e3913a526655791ffe9be62da1a588",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 137358
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 4

Original entry ↗

particle

Alternative form of ah (question particle).

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Spelled as if originally pronounced in a non-rhotic English variety, akin to lor and the Korean surname Park.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [],
  "links": [
    [
      "lor",
      "lor"
    ],
    [
      "Park",
      "Park"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "particle",
      "glosses": [
        "Alternative form of ah (question particle)."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Hong-Kong",
        "Manglish",
        "Singlish",
        "alt-of",
        "alternative"
      ],
      "recordId": "18054240f23440d5344497d211d09469beb5b2a89b68c45ac79dd6107a206c75",
      "rawRecordSha256": "ab683555411e9e12a6696ed2fd6c8bc9321ae665b22ce486586e547123b926d4",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 137362
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for ar →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-YXI