Where does “overzeal” come from?
overzeal (English) comes from English zeal, from Middle English zele, from Old French zel, from Late Latin zelus, from Ancient Greek ζῆλος, from Ancient Greek ζηλόω, from Ancient Greek -όω, from Proto-Indo-European -oyéti — he, she.
overzeal (English): Excessive zeal
Definitions
- Excessive zeal
Ancestry of “overzeal”, step by step
overzeal traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English zeal
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | zeal | The fervour or tireless devotion for a person,... |
| 2 | Middle English | zele | Zeal; endless devotion or striving; Intense love... |
| 3 | Old French | zel | — |
| 4 | Late Latin | zelus | jealousy; zeal, emulation |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ζῆλος | eager rivalry, zealous imitation, emulation, a... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ζηλόω | I emulate; I am jealous |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | -όω | Added to a noun or adjective to make a verb with... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -oyéti | Creates factitive verbs from adjectives |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | -yéti | Creates intransitive, often deponent,... |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | yé- | — |
| 11 | Chichewa | iye | he, she |
via English over
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | over | Discontinued; ended or concluded; Thoroughly;... |
| 2 | Middle English | over | riverbank, seashore, brink |
| 3 | Old English | ōfer | riverbank, seashore, brink, edge, margin, border |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | obar | over, above |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | uber | over; over, above |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | upér | above; over |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | upó | under, below |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ewp- | — |