Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “playact” come from?

playact (English) comes from English act, from Middle English acte, from Old French act, from Latin ācta, from Latin agō, from Proto-Italic agō, from Proto-Indo-European h₂éǵeti, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ- — to drive.

playact (English): To perform on, or as if on, a stage

Definitions

  1. To perform on, or as if on, a stage

Ancestry of “playact”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishactSomething done, a deed; Actuality; Something done...
2Middle Englishacte—
3Old Frenchact—
4Latinācta—
5Latinagō—
6Proto-Italicagōdrive; push, impel; do, act
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éǵetito be driving
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eǵ-to drive
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ- →