Where does “Vertigo” come from?

Vertigo (English) comes from Latin vertīgō, from Latin -igo, from Proto-Italic agō, from Proto-Indo-European h₂éǵeti, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ- — to drive.

Vertigo (English): A sensation of whirling and loss of balance, caused by looking down from a great height or by disease affecting the inner ear

Definitions

  1. A sensation of whirling and loss of balance, caused by looking down from a great height or by disease affecting the inner ear

Ancestry of “Vertigo”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinvertīgōgyration, giddiness, dizziness
2Latin-igoEnlargement of -ō; Suffixed to nouns and to...
3Proto-Italicagōdrive; push, impel; do, act
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éǵetito be driving
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eǵ-to drive

Words derived from “Vertigo”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ- →
Vertigo — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer