all
UK[ɔːl]US[ɔːl]
det
used to refer to the whole quantity or extent of a particular group or thing
predeterminer
used to emphasize the whole amount or number of something
adv
completely; entirely
pron
used to refer to the whole quantity or extent of something
Etymology
The word 'all' descends from the Proto-Germanic allaz, meaning "all, whole, every." This term is further traced back to the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) root h₂el- ("beyond, other"), which also gave rise to Latin alius ("other") and Greek allos ("other"). The semantic journey from "other" or "beyond" to "whole, entire" is a fascinating shift, likely developing through the concept of "the whole of something" being perceived as "everything else" included. Over time, in the Germanic languages, this sense of totality became fixed, evolving into the modern English word used to denote completeness in quantity, degree, or extent.
Analysis
This is a simplex word of Germanic origin. It functions as a grammatical particle (determiner, pronoun, adverb) indicating totality or completeness.
Examples
All students must complete the assignment.
The cake was all gone by the end of the party.
She gave her all to the performance.