Where does “essay” come from?

essay (Old French) comes 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.

Ancestry of “essay”, step by step

essay traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Late Latin exagium

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

via Latin exagium

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1LatinexagiumA weighing, weight; A balance
2Latinexigeresecond-person singular future passive indicative...

Words derived from “essay”

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