Where does “aghast” come from?
Aghast comes from Middle English agast, derived from Old English a- prefixed to Proto-Germanic gaistijaną, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European úd meaning "out."
aghast (English): Terrified; struck with amazement; showing signs...
Definitions
- Terrified; struck with amazement; showing signs...
Ancestry of “aghast”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | agast | — |
| 2 | Middle English | agasten | to terrify |
| 3 | Middle English | a- | up, out, away; of; on, in |
| 4 | Old English | ā- | a-; away, out |
| 5 | Old English | ar- | — |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | uʀ- | out, over; off, away |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | uz- | up, out |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | uss- | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | uds- | up, out |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | úd | out, outward |