Where does “exact” come from?

Exact derives from Latin exactus, the past participle of exigere meaning "to drive out or demand," formed from ex- "out" and agere "to drive," both ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ-.

exact (English): Precisely agreeing with a standard, a fact, or...

Definitions

  1. Precisely agreeing with a standard, a fact, or...

Ancestry of “exact”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinexactare—
2Latinexactusdriven out, expelled, having been driven out;...
3Latinexigōto drive out; expel
4Latinagōto act, to behave
5Proto-Italicagōdrive; push, impel; do, act
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éǵetito be driving
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eǵ-to drive

Words derived from “exact”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂éǵeti →Every word from Proto-Italic agō →