DictionaryRoot: agere
Latin
agere
drive, set in motion; do
Forms
- ag-
- act- — Latin stem of the form meaning ‘done.’
- -ig- — Used in some Latin compounds.
Origin
Reconstructed Proto-Indo-European *ag-, ‘drive; lead.’
Note
A root for driving things forward also came to describe performing an action.
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noun
essay
ESS-ay/ˈeseɪ/
A short piece of writing about a subject.
Etymology
“Out” and “drive” combine in exigere, meaning “examine, try, test,” apparently here in the sense “weigh.” Through “weighing” and then “trial” or “attempt,” essay came to suggest a short, exploratory piece of writing.
Related word entries
- actPlaying a role
- actAction and behavior
- actionDoing something
- actionLegal proceedings
- actionMechanical operation
- actor
- agency
- agenda
- agent
- castigate
- cogent
- essayShort composition
- essayAttempt
- exactDemand and obtain
- exactCompletely accurate
- exaction
- exactitude
- exigentDemanding
- exigentUrgent
- fumigation
- litigant
- litigate
- litigation
- litigator
- litigious
- mitigate
- mitigation
- prodigal
- reactionary
- retroactive
- transact
- transaction