Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “abled” come from?

abled (English) comes from English disabled, from English disable, from English able, from Middle English able, from Old French able, from Latin habilis, from Latin -ilis, from Proto-Italic -elis — Forms agent nouns from verbal roots.

abled (English): Having a range of physical powers as specified;...

Definitions

  1. Having a range of physical powers as specified;...

Ancestry of “abled”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdisabledMade incapable of use or action; Having a...
2EnglishdisableTo render unable; to take away an ability of, as...
3EnglishableEasy to use; Suitable; competent; Liable to
4Middle Englishable—
5Old Frenchableable; capable
6Latinhabilisable to have/possess/maintain; having sufficient...
7Latin-ilis-ile
8Proto-Italic-elis—
9Proto-Indo-European-elis—
10Proto-Indo-European-lósForms agent nouns from verbal roots
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -lós →