Nihilominus and nonetheless, related?

1. What does nonetheless really mean?
2. What type of word is nonetheless?
3. Where did nonetheless come from?
4. How did nonetheless become one word?

What does nonetheless really mean?

: in spite of what has just been said : nevertheless.

What type of word is nonetheless?

Nevertheless and nonetheless are both conjunctive adverbs with the same ending, -theless. They both show contrast or opposition and can be used interchangeably, according to Merriam-Webster and Oxford English Dictionary.

Where did nonetheless come from?

From Middle English *non-the-les, variant of no-the-les, noþeles, naþelees, from Old English nān þȳ lǣs, nā þē lǣs, nā þȳ lǣs, equivalent to none +‎ the +‎ less.

How did nonetheless become one word?

According to Etymonline, the word nonetheless was used starting in the year 1839 nas three words – none, the, and less. By 1930 it was contracted into one word. The word none is a pronoun that comes from the Middle English non or none from the Old English nan. This comes from no meaning not, and an meaning one.