English
affirming
Affirming comes from Middle English affermen ‘to decide upon’, from Latin affirmō ‘to present (something) as fixed, firm, or true’, 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 CEaffirmō‘to present (something) as fixed, firm, or true’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400afermer
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500affermen‘to decide upon’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500affermynge
- Englishearliest quotation 1992affirming
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 CEaffirmō‘to present (something) as fixed, firm, or true’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400afermer
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500affermen‘to decide upon’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500affermynge
- Englishearliest quotation 1992affirming
Earliest quotation: 1992, William R. Johnson, Protestantism and Gay and Lesbian Freedom: “We remain because we are not without hope that…”
Formed from affirm + -ing
Latin affirmare ‘to present as fixed, aver, affirm’
Old French afermer
Middle English affermen ‘to decide upon’
English affirm
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *dʰer- ‘to support’
dark, drug, dry, drama, dare, throne, drone, drain, feasible, drastic, darn, refrain, formidable, dazed, dharma, dor, dern, 38 more
through Proto-Italic *fermos
through Latin firmus ‘strong, powerful’
confirm, infirmary, firmament, infirm, 8 more
through Latin firmō ‘strengthen, fortify’
Today it means
verb The act of one who affirms something; an affirmation.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰer- / affirming