Where does “agonist” come from?
Agonist derives from Ancient Greek ἀγωνιστής, from ἀγών meaning contest or struggle, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots denoting driving or impelling motion.
agonist (English): Someone involved in a contest or battle (as in an agon), protagonist
Definitions
- Someone involved in a contest or battle (as in an agon), protagonist
Ancestry of “agonist”, step by step
agonist traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Latin agōnista
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | agōnista | — |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | ἀγωνιστής | combatant, rival, contestant; pleader, advocate;... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ἀγωνίζομαι | to contend, compete |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | -ίζω | Used to form verbs from nouns, adjectives and... |
| 5 | Proto-Hellenic | -íďďō | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -idyéti | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -yéti | Creates intransitive, often deponent,... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | yé- | — |
| 9 | Chichewa | iye | he, she |
via French agoniste
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | agoniste | agonist muscle that contracts while the other relaxes |