Where does “エッセイ” come from?
エッセイ (Japanese) comes from English essay, from Middle French essai, from Old French essai, from Late Latin exagium, from Latin exigō, from Latin agō, from Proto-Italic agō, from Proto-Indo-European h₂éǵeti — to drive.
エッセイ (Japanese): essay
Ancestry of “エッセイ”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | essay | A written composition of moderate length,... |
| 2 | Middle French | essai | essay; attempt, assay; essay |
| 3 | Old French | essai | trial |
| 4 | Late Latin | exagium | weight; weighing, testing on the balance;... |
| 5 | Latin | exigō | — |
| 6 | Latin | agō | — |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | agō | drive; push, impel; do, act |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂éǵeti | to be driving |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eǵ- | to drive |