Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “exquisitive” come from?

exquisitive (English) comes from Latin exquīsītus, from Latin exquiro, from Latin quaerō, from Proto-Italic kʷaizeō, from Proto-Indo-European kʷeh₂- — to acquire.

exquisitive (English): Eager to discover or learn; curious

Definitions

  1. Eager to discover or learn; curious

Ancestry of “exquisitive”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinexquīsītus—
2LatinexquiroI seek out, search for or hunt up; I inquire into
3Latinquaerō—
4Proto-Italickʷaizeō—
5Proto-Indo-Europeankʷeh₂-to acquire

Words derived from “exquisitive”

  • exquisitiveness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷeh₂- →