Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “amazement” come from?

Amazement comes from Middle English amazen, Old French -ment, Latin -mentum, Latin mens meaning mind, and Proto-Indo-European men- meaning to think.

amazement (English): The condition of being amazed; overwhelming...

Definitions

  1. The condition of being amazed; overwhelming...

Ancestry of “amazement”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishamazeTo fill with wonder and surprise; to astonish,...
2Middle Englishamasedshocked; incapable of action or movement; scared,...
3Old Englishāmasianto perplex, confound; to confuse, astonish
4Old Englishā-a-; away, out
5Old Englishar-—
6Proto-West Germanicuʀ-out, over; off, away
7Proto-Germanicuz-up, out
8Proto-Indo-Europeanuss-—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanuds-up, out
10Proto-Indo-Europeanúdout, outward
Every word from Proto-Indo-European úd →