Where does “instigate” come from?

Instigate comes from Latin instigatus, past participle of instigo, composed of the prefix in- and a root from Proto-Indo-European ne meaning "not."

instigate (English): to incite; to bring about by urging or...

Definitions

  1. to incite; to bring about by urging or...

Ancestry of “instigate”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinīnstīgātusstimulated, set on, incited, roused or urged
2LatininstigoI stimulate, set on, incite, rouse or urge
3Proto-Indo-European(s)teyg-to be sharp; to sting

Words derived from “instigate”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)teyg- →Every word from Latin instigo →Every word from Latin īnstīgātus →