English
argument
Argument comes from Old French arguement, from Latin argūmentum ‘proof’, from arguō ‘to make clear, prove’, perhaps from Proto-Italic *argus ‘bright’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂erǵ-‘white, shining’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂érǵus‘white’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*argus‘bright’uncertain
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEarguō‘to make clear, prove’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEargūmentum‘argument, proof’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400arguement
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500argument
- Englishearliest quotation 1570argument
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂erǵ-‘white, shining’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂érǵus‘white’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*argus‘bright’uncertain
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEarguō‘to make clear, prove’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEargūmentum‘argument, proof’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400arguement
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500argument
- Englishearliest quotation 1570argument
Earliest quotation: 1570, Margaret Ascham, Principall Secretarie to the Quenes Most Excellent Maiestie”: “[I]n vttering the ſtuffe ye receiued of the one,…”
Formed from argue + -ment
Latin arguō ‘to make clear, prove, accuse’
Old French arguer ‘to argue’
Middle English arguen ‘to argue’
English argue
The story
The English word is analysable as argue + -ment.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂erǵ- ‘white, shining’
through Latin arguō ‘to clarify, to make plain’
Today it means
noun A fact or statement used to support a proposition; a reason.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂erǵ- / argument