Where does “act of Congress” come from?

act of Congress (English) comes from English act, from Middle English acte, from Old French act, from Latin ācta, from Latin agō, from Proto-Italic agō, from Proto-Indo-European h₂éǵeti, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ- — to drive.

act of Congress (English): Authorization that is extremely difficult to get,...

Definitions

  1. Authorization that is extremely difficult to get,...

Ancestry of “act of Congress”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishactSomething done, a deed; Actuality; Something done...
2Middle EnglishacteAn act; an action
3Old Frenchact
4Latināctaacts, transactions, or proceedings (e.g., of an organization, in an academic field, of an office holder)
5Latinagōto act, to behave
6Proto-Italicagōdrive; push, impel; do, act
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éǵetito be driving
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eǵ-to drive
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ-