English
addict
Addict comes from Latin addictus ‘assigned, dedicated having been assigned’, from addīcō ‘deliver’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *deyḱ- ‘to point out, to show’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*deyḱ-‘to point out, to show’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*déyḱeti‘to be pointing out’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*deikō‘to show, indicate’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdīcō‘say’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaddīcō‘deliver’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaddictus‘assigned, dedicated having been assigned’past participle of addīcō
- Englishearliest quotation 1644addict
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*deyḱ-‘to point out, to show’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*déyḱeti‘to be pointing out’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*deikō‘to show, indicate’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdīcō‘say’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaddīcō‘deliver’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaddictus‘assigned, dedicated having been assigned’past participle of addīcō
- Englishearliest quotation 1644addict
Earliest quotation: 1644, [Diary entry for 25 October 1644]: “They addict themselves to the civil law.”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *deyḱ- ‘to point out, to show’
teach, toe, token, digit, indicative, paradigm, syndicate, tache, syndicalism, 42 more
through Proto-Italic *deikō ‘to show, indicate’
through Latin dīcō ‘say’
index, indicate, indication, preach, dedication, indicator, dictionary, predict, ditto, dedicate, dictator, predicament, dictate, contradictory, contradiction, contradict, predicate, ditty, interdiction, diction, interdict, dictum, indicia, 22 more
Today it means
noun A person who is addicted, especially to a harmful drug.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *deyḱ- / addict