Where does “active” come from?
Active comes from Middle English actif, from Old French actif, from Latin activus, derived from the Latin verb agere meaning "to do" or "to drive," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ-.
active (English): Having the power or quality of acting; causing...
Definitions
- Having the power or quality of acting; causing...
Ancestry of “active”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | actyf | active, reactive |
| 2 | Old French | actif | active |
| 3 | Latin | āctīvus | active |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ἐνεργητικός | Able to act on; acting on; Active; In the active... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ἐνεργέω | to be in action or activity, to operate; to... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ἐνεργός | at work, active |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | ἐν- | in, within; on |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | ἐν | in, on, at; among; in, at, or during the time of |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | δέρμα | skin, hide |
| 10 | Ancient Greek | γλυφή | carving, carved work; hole cut |
| 11 | Ancient Greek | -ῐ́ᾱ | {{l|en|-ia}}; "suffix forming abstract feminine... |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | -íh₂ | — |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | -h₂ | Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups... |