Where does “overtax” come from?

overtax (English) comes from English tax, from Middle English taxe, from Old French taxe, from Latin taxa, from Latin taxāre, from Latin Taxus, from Ancient Greek εἶδος, from Spanish -scopio — to see, to look, to observe.

overtax (English): To tax to an excessive degree; To overburden

Definitions

  1. To tax to an excessive degree; To overburden

Ancestry of “overtax”, step by step

overtax traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English tax

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtaxMoney paid to the government other than for...
2Middle EnglishtaxeA tax or charge
3Old Frenchtaxe
4Latintaxasecond-person singular present active imperative...
5Latintaxāre
6LatinTaxusyew
7Ancient GreekεἶδοςThat which is seen: form, image, shape;...
8Spanish-scopio-scope
9Latin-scopium
10Ancient GreekσκοπέωI look, look at, behold; I examine, inspect; 413...
11Ancient Greekσκοπόςwatcher, lookout; protector, guardian; spy, scout
12Ancient GreekσκέπτομαιI look at, examine; I examine, consider, think
13Proto-Hellenicsképťomaito look at
14Proto-Indo-Europeanspéḱyetito be looking at, to keep looking at
15Proto-Indo-Europeanspeḱ-to see, to look, to observe

via English over

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishoverDiscontinued; ended or concluded; Thoroughly;...
2Middle Englishoverriverbank, seashore, brink
3Old Englishōferriverbank, seashore, brink, edge, margin, border
4Proto-West Germanicobarover, above
5Proto-Germanicuberover; over, above
6Proto-Indo-Europeanupérabove; over
7Proto-Indo-Europeanupóunder, below
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃ewp-
Every word from Proto-Indo-European speḱ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European spéḱyetiEvery word from Proto-Hellenic sképťomai