Where does “doomsay” come from?
doomsay (English) comes from English doomsayer, from English sayer, from English say, from English assay, from Middle English assay, from Anglo-Norman assaier, from Old French essai, from Late Latin exagium — to drive.
doomsay (English): To make dire predictions about the future
Definitions
- To make dire predictions about the future
Ancestry of “doomsay”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | doomsayer | One who makes dire predictions about the future;... |
| 2 | English | sayer | One who says; one who makes announcements; a... |
| 3 | English | say | To pronounce; To recite; To tell, either verbally... |
| 4 | English | assay | Trial, attempt; Examination and determination;... |
| 5 | Middle English | assay | Examining; investigation, looking into, research;... |
| 6 | Anglo-Norman | assaier | Alternative form of essaier |
| 7 | Old French | essai | trial |
| 8 | Late Latin | exagium | weight; weighing, testing on the balance;... |
| 9 | Latin | exigō | to drive out; expel |
| 10 | Latin | agō | to act, to behave |
| 11 | Proto-Italic | agō | drive; push, impel; do, act |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂éǵeti | to be driving |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eǵ- | to drive |