Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “ague” come from?

ague (Middle English) comes from Middle French aguë, from Latin acūta, from Latin acūtus, from Latin acuō, from Latin acus, from Proto-Italic akus, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eḱus, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eḱ- — sharp.

Ancestry of “ague”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchaguëacute
2Latinacūta—
3Latinacūtus—
4Latinacuō—
5Latinacusa needle, a pin; bodkin; bran, awn, chaff
6Proto-Italicakus—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eḱus—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eḱ-sharp

Words derived from “ague”

  • ague
  • aguish
  • aguey
  • aguishly
  • agueproof
  • aguelike
  • agueweed
  • aguishness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eḱ- →