English
acetate
Acetate comes from Latin acētum ‘vinegar’, from acēscō ‘to become sour, to turn sour’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- ‘sharp’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eḱ-‘sharp’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eḱéh₁yetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*akēōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaceō‘to be sour’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEacēscō‘to become sour, to turn sour’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEacētum‘vinegar’
- Englishearliest quotation 1819acetate
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eḱ-‘sharp’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eḱéh₁yetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*akēōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaceō‘to be sour’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEacēscō‘to become sour, to turn sour’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEacētum‘vinegar’
- Englishearliest quotation 1819acetate
Earliest quotation: 1819, Abraham Rees: “[…] to pad a piece in diluted acetate of…”
Formed from acētum ‘vinegar’ + -ate
The story
Formed from the root of Latin acētum (‘vinegar’) + -ate, from aceō (‘to be sour’).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- ‘sharp’
hear, edge, egg, ear, hammer, eager, axe, oxide, vinegar, acute, mediocre, acne, mediocrity, paragon, acupuncture, hark, acacia, acumen, acme, acuity, exacerbate, acrimony, acrid, rosacea, acerbic, exacerbation, 71 more
through Proto-Italic *akēō
through Latin aceō ‘to be sour’
through Latin acētum ‘vinegar’
Today it means
noun Any ester or salt of acetic acid.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- / acetate