Etymograph

English

able

Able comes from Middle English able ‘capable’, from Old Northern French able, from Latin habilis ‘easily managed, held, or handled’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ- ‘to grab, take’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰeh₁bʰ-‘to grab, take’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰh₁bʰéh₁yetireconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*haβēō‘to have’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhabeō‘to have’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEhabilis‘easily managed, held, or handled’
  6. Old Northern Frenchc. 842–1400able‘able’
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘capable’
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1625same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰeh₁bʰ-‘to grab, take’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰh₁bʰéh₁yetireconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*haβēō‘to have’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhabeō‘to have’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEhabilis‘easily managed, held, or handled’
  6. Old Northern Frenchc. 842–1400able‘able’
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘capable’
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1625same form

Earliest quotation: 1625, Francis Bacon, Of Youth and Age. XLII.: “Natures that haue much Heat, and great and violent…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ- ‘to grab, take’

doubt, habitat, endeavor, dubious, prohibitive, javelin, gab, aver, 23 more

through Proto-Italic *haβēō ‘to have, hold’

habitual, 11 more

through Latin habeō ‘to have, hold’

due, average, exhibition, habit, prohibition, debit, prohibit, inhibition, inhibit, haver, debenture, 21 more

through Latin habilis ‘easily managed, held, or handled’

ability, habilitation, 5 more

Another origin of able

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰeh₁bʰ-‘to grab, to take’uncertain
  2. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*habēōuncertain
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhabeō‘to have, possess’
  4. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEhabilis‘able to have/possess/maintain’
  5. Old Frenchc. 842–1400able
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘capable, expert, qualified, skilful, competent’
  7. Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500ablen
  8. Englishtodayable

Today it means

adj Having the necessary powers or the needed resources to accomplish a task.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ- / able

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