| 1 | English | assay | Trial, attempt; Examination and determination;... |
| 2 | Middle English | assay | Examining; investigation, looking into, research;... |
| 3 | Anglo-Norman | assaier | Alternative form of essaier |
| 4 | Old French | essai | trial |
| 5 | Late Latin | exagium | weight; weighing, testing on the balance;... |
| 6 | Latin | exigō | — |
| 7 | Latin | agō | — |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | agō | drive; push, impel; do, act |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂éǵeti | to be driving |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eǵ- | to drive |