one-year

The compound adjective "one-year" is a transparent combination of two native English elements. "One" originates from the Proto-Germanic ainaz, a fundamental numeral that has remained remarkably stable in meaning. "Year" descends from the Proto-Germanic jērą, referring to the concept of a seasonal cycle or period. The logic of the compound is purely descriptive and arithmetic, directly combining the quantity "one" with the unit of time "year" to specify a duration. This pattern of number-unit compounding is common in English for creating precise temporal adjectives, such as "two-day" or "five-minute."

Structure: one (number) + year (time period) - one: From Old English 'ān', meaning the number one. A numeral root. - year: From Old English 'gēar', meaning a cycle of seasons, a period of time. A noun root.