English
acid
Acid comes from French acide, from Latin acidus ‘sour’, from aceō ‘to be sour’, ultimately from PIE *h₂eḱ-.
- 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 CEacidus‘sour’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentacide‘acid’
- Englishearliest quotation 1864acid
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 CEacidus‘sour’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentacide‘acid’
- Englishearliest quotation 1864acid
Earliest quotation: 1864, Anthony Trollope, The Small House at Allington: “His voice was as stern and his face as…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- ‘sharp’
hear, edge, egg, ear, hammer, eager, axe, acute, vinegar, mediocre, oxide, acne, mediocrity, paragon, acupuncture, hark, exacerbate, acumen, acuity, acme, acacia, acrimony, rosacea, exacerbation, acerbic, acrid, 72 more
through Latin aceō ‘to be sour’
through Latin acidus ‘sour, acid’
through French acide ‘acid, acidic, sour, tart’
Today it means
adj Sour, sharp, or biting to the taste; tart; having the taste of vinegar.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- / acid