English
affirmative
Affirmative comes from Latin affirmativus ‘affirming, affirmative’, from affirmō ‘to assert’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰer- ‘to support’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰer-‘to support’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰermosreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*θermosreconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*fermosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfirmus‘strong, powerful’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfirmō‘strengthen, fortify’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaffirmōas affirmare‘to assert’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaffirmativus‘affirming, affirmative’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400affirmatif
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500affirmative
- Englishearliest quotation 1646same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰer-‘to support’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰermosreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*θermosreconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*fermosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfirmus‘strong, powerful’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfirmō‘strengthen, fortify’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaffirmōas affirmare‘to assert’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaffirmativus‘affirming, affirmative’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400affirmatif
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500affirmative
- Englishearliest quotation 1646same form
Earliest quotation: 1646, Sir Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica: “that every hare is both male and female, beside…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *dʰer- ‘to support’
dark, drug, dry, drama, dare, throne, drain, drone, feasible, refrain, darn, formidable, drastic, dazed, dharma, dor, dern, 38 more
through Proto-Italic *fermos
through Latin firmus ‘strong, powerful’
confirm, infirmary, infirm, firmament, 8 more
through Latin firmō ‘strengthen, fortify’
Today it means
adj pertaining to truth; asserting that something is; affirming
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰer- / affirmative