Where does “essay” come from?
essay (Norwegian Bokmål) 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.
essay (Norwegian Bokmål): an essay, a written composition of moderate...
Definitions
- an essay, a written composition of moderate...
Ancestry of “essay”, 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 | to drive out; expel |
| 6 | Latin | agō | to act, to behave |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | agō | drive; push, impel; do, act |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂éǵeti | to be driving |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eǵ- | to drive |