English
ambiguousness
Ambiguousness comes from Latin ambig(ō), from agō ‘to act, to behave’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eǵ-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂éǵeti‘to be driving’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*agō‘to drive’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEagō‘to act, to behave’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEambig(ō)
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEambiguu
- English1500–presentambiguous
- Englishtodayambiguousness
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eǵ-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂éǵeti‘to be driving’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*agō‘to drive’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEagō‘to act, to behave’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEambig(ō)
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEambiguu
- English1500–presentambiguous
- Englishtodayambiguousness
A compound of ambiguous + -ness
Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ-
…
Proto-Italic *agō ‘to drive’
Latin agō ‘to act, to behave’
Latin ambig(ō)
Latin ambiguus ‘moving from side to side, of doubtful nature’
English ambiguous
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ-
suggest, register, essay, acre, gesture, congestion, digest, agrarian, belligerent, gestation, ingestion, progesterone, ingest, agitate, axiomatic, agger, samaj, gerund, gestion, 130 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti ‘to be driving’
strategy, agony, antagonist, reactionary, axiom, antagonism, agonist, antagonize, stratagem, glucagon, agonize, 104 more
through Proto-Italic *agō ‘to drive’
reaction, actively, transaction, radioactive, inactive, retroactive, reagent, hyperactivity, 82 more
through Latin agō ‘to act, to behave’
act, action, active, agency, activity, actual, agent, actor, agenda, examination, examine, activate, squat, enact, agile, agility, agitation, assay, radium, actuator, cogent, actuation, actuate, inexact, exigent, redact, 97 more
through English ambiguous
Today it means
noun The state or quality of being ambiguous; ambiguity
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ- / ambiguousness