since

A2 Topic:Grammar & Function Words

Also spelled sence

US /sɪn(t)s/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like chintz /tʃ/ vs /s/

Freq #304

Meanings

1

conj
From a point in the past until now.

I have loved you since I first met you.
2

conj
Because.

Since you didn't call, we left without you.
3

prep
From a particular past time up to now.

We have lived here since 2010.
4

adv
From a time in the past until now.

I met him last year, but haven't seen him since.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

because sithence

Opposites

until while

Etymology

From Middle English syns, synnes, contraction of earlier sithens, sithence, from sithen (“after, since”) ( + -s, adverbial genitive suffix), from Old English sīþþan, from the phrase sīþ þǣm (“after/since that (time)”), from sīþ (“since, after”) + þǣm dative singular of þæt. Cognate with Dutch sinds (“since”), German seit (“since”), Danish siden (“since”), Icelandic síðan (“since”) Scots syne (“since”).

syns Middle English sīþþan Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Grammar & Function Words

External links

# since

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** conj, prep, adv
**IPA (US):** /sɪn(t)s/
**Frequency rank:** 304

## Meanings
1. From a point in the past until now.
2. Because.
3. From a particular past time up to now.
4. From a time in the past until now.

## Examples
- I have loved you since I first met you.
- Since you didn't call, we left without you.
- We have lived here since 2010.
- I met him last year, but haven't seen him since.

## Synonyms
- because
- sithence

## Antonyms
- until
- while

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: syns
- Root: sīþþan

## Etymology
From Middle English syns, synnes, contraction of earlier sithens, sithence, from sithen (“after, since”) ( + -s, adverbial genitive suffix), from Old English sīþþan, from the phrase sīþ þǣm (“after/since that (time)”), from sīþ (“since, after”) + þǣm dative singular of þæt. Cognate with Dutch sinds (“since”), German seit (“since”), Danish siden (“since”), Icelandic síðan (“since”) Scots syne (“since”).

## AI Etymology
Since is from Middle English syns, synnes, contraction of earlier sithens, sithence, from sithen (“after, since”) ( + -s, adverbial genitive suffix), from Old English sīþþan, from the phrase sīþ þǣm (“after/since that (time)”), from sīþ (“since, after”) + þǣm dative singular of þæt. Cognate with Dutch sinds (“since”), German seit (“since”), Danish siden (“since”), Icelandic síðan (“since”) Scots syne (“since”). Important forms in the word's history include Middle English syns, Old English sīþþan. In current use it includes senses such as From a point in the past until now and Because.

## Topics
- Grammar & Function Words

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