Where does “sayability” come from?
sayability (English) comes from English say, from English assay, from Middle English assay, from Anglo-Norman assaier, from Old French essai, from Late Latin exagium, from Latin exigō, from Latin agō — to drive.
sayability (English): The quality of being sayable
Definitions
- The quality of being sayable
Ancestry of “sayability”, step by step
sayability traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English say
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | say | To pronounce; To recite; To tell, either verbally... |
| 2 | English | assay | Trial, attempt; Examination and determination;... |
| 3 | Middle English | assay | Examining; investigation, looking into, research;... |
| 4 | Anglo-Norman | assaier | Alternative form of essaier |
| 5 | Old French | essai | trial |
| 6 | Late Latin | exagium | weight; weighing, testing on the balance;... |
| 7 | Latin | exigō | to drive out; expel |
| 8 | Latin | agō | to act, to behave |
| 9 | Proto-Italic | agō | drive; push, impel; do, act |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂éǵeti | to be driving |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eǵ- | to drive |
via English ability
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ability | Suitableness; The quality or state of being able;... |
| 2 | Middle English | abilite | suitability, aptitude, ability |
| 3 | Old French | ableté | — |
| 4 | Latin | habilitās | ability, aptitude, fitness |
| 5 | Latin | habilis | able to have/possess/maintain; having sufficient... |
| 6 | Latin | -ilis | -ile |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | -elis | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -elis | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | -lós | Forms agent nouns from verbal roots |