same

same

perhaps abstracted from O.E. swa same "the same as," but more likely from O.N. same, samr "same,"
both from P.Gmc. *samon (cf. O.S., O.H.G., Goth. sama; O.H.G. samant, Ger. samt "together, with," Goth. samana "together," Du. zamelen "to collect," Ger. zusammen "together"),
from PIE *samos "same," from base *sem- "one, together"
(cf. Skt. samah "even, level, similar, identical;" Avestan hama "similar, the same;" Gk. hama "together with, at the same time," homos "one and the same," homios "like, resembling," homalos "even;" L. similis "like;" O.Ir. samail "likeness;" O.C.S. samu "himself").
O.E. had lost the pure form of the word; the modern word replaced synonymous ilk (q.v.).
Colloq. phrase same here as an exclamation of agreement is from 1895.
Same difference curious way to say "equal," is attested from 1945.