Where does “payable” come from?
Payable derives from Middle English -able combined with Latin picare (to pacify), itself from Latin pax (peace), ultimately tracing to Proto-Indo-European peh₂ǵ- (to fix or fasten).
payable (English): Due to be paid; Able to be paid; Of a mine etc.:...
Definitions
- Due to be paid; Able to be paid; Of a mine etc.:...
Ancestry of “payable”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | pay | To give money or other compensation to in... |
| 2 | Middle English | payen | pagan |
| 3 | Old French | paiier | to pay |
| 4 | Medieval Latin | pacare | to settle, satisfy; present active infinitive of... |
| 5 | Latin | pācāre | — |
| 6 | Latin | pāx | peace |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | pāks | peace |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | péh₂ḱ-s | peace |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | peh₂ḱ- | to join, to attach; agreement, settlement |