Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “acting” come from?

Acting derives from Middle English actinge, from Old French acte, from Latin actum, the past participle of ago meaning to do or drive, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ-.

acting (English): Temporarily assuming the duties or authority of...

Definitions

  1. Temporarily assuming the duties or authority of...

Ancestry of “acting”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishAct—
2EnglishactuallyIn act or in fact; really; in truth; positively;...
3Englishactualrelating to a person's acts or deeds; active,...
4Middle Englishactual—
5Anglo-Normanactuel—
6Old Frenchactual—
7Latinactuālis—
8Latināctus—
9Latinagō—
10Proto-Italicagōdrive; push, impel; do, act
11Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éǵetito be driving
12Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eǵ-to drive

Words derived from “acting”

  • nonacting
  • self-acting
  • cis-acting
  • akting
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ- →