Where does “unsayable” come from?
unsayable (English) comes from English sayable, 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 — to drive.
unsayable (English): Not capable of being said; Not allowed or not fit...
Definitions
- Not capable of being said; Not allowed or not fit...
Ancestry of “unsayable”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | sayable | Capable of being pronounced or uttered;... |
| 2 | English | say | To pronounce; To recite; To tell, either verbally... |
| 3 | English | assay | Trial, attempt; Examination and determination;... |
| 4 | Middle English | assay | Examining; investigation, looking into, research;... |
| 5 | Anglo-Norman | assaier | Alternative form of essaier |
| 6 | Old French | essai | trial |
| 7 | Late Latin | exagium | weight; weighing, testing on the balance;... |
| 8 | Latin | exigō | — |
| 9 | Latin | agō | — |
| 10 | Proto-Italic | agō | drive; push, impel; do, act |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂éǵeti | to be driving |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eǵ- | to drive |
Words derived from “unsayable”