Where does “âge” come from?
âge (Middle French) comes from Old French aige, from Old French edage, from Old French aage, from Vulgar Latin aetaticum, from Latin aetās, from Latin aevitās, from Proto-Italic aiwotāts, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eyu- — vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning.
Ancestry of “âge”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old French | aige | Alternative form of aage |
| 2 | Old French | edage | Alternative form of aage |
| 3 | Old French | aage | age |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | aetaticum | age |
| 5 | Latin | aetās | — |
| 6 | Latin | aevitās | — |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | aiwotāts | age |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eyu- | vitality; eternal; vital force, life, long life,... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ey- | vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning |