Where does “essayer” come from?

essayer (Middle French) comes from Old French essaiier, from Old French essay, from Late Latin exagium, from Latin exigō, from Latin agō, from Proto-Italic agō, from Proto-Indo-European h₂éǵeti, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ- — to drive.

essayer (Middle French): to test; to try

Definitions

  1. to test; to try

Ancestry of “essayer”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchessaiier—
2Old Frenchessay—
3Late Latinexagiumweight; weighing, testing on the balance;...
4Latinexigōto drive out; expel
5Latinagōto act, to behave
6Proto-Italicagōdrive; push, impel; do, act
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éǵetito be driving
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eǵ-to drive

Words derived from “essayer”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂éǵeti →Every word from Proto-Italic agō →