also
UK[ˈɔːlsəʊ]US[ˈɔːlsoʊ]
adv
In addition; too.
adv
Used to introduce a further point or idea.
Etymology
The modern English adverb 'also' has a direct lineage from the Old English phrase 'eall swā', which literally meant 'all so' or 'wholly so'. This phrase functioned as an emphatic conjunction, used to add a point in a manner similar to 'in just the same way'. Over centuries of phonetic erosion and fusion, the two separate words 'eall' and 'swā' merged into the single lexical item 'alswā' in Middle English, eventually becoming the streamlined 'also'. The core semantic thread from its origin to its present use is one of addition and continuation, maintaining its fundamental role of linking and supplementing information within discourse.
Analysis
The word 'also' is a simplex form derived from Old English. It is a fusion of the words 'eall' (meaning 'all') and 'swā' (meaning 'so, thus').
Examples
She is a talented musician and also a gifted painter.
The software is powerful; it is also very user-friendly.
We need to consider cost, and also the time required for completion.