English
argute
Argute comes from Latin argūtus ‘expressive’, and goes back to arguō ‘to clarify’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEarguō‘to clarify’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEargūtus‘expressive’perfect passive participle of arguō
- Englishearliest quotation 1820argute
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEarguō‘to clarify’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEargūtus‘expressive’perfect passive participle of arguō
- Englishearliest quotation 1820argute
Earliest quotation: 1820, Walter Scott, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne & Co.] for Longman: “Suppose,” said Roland Græme, “we should begin as in…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂erǵ- ‘white, shining’
through Proto-Italic *argus
argumentative, argumentation, 28 more
through Latin arguō ‘to clarify’
Today it means
adj Sharp; perceptive; shrewd.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin arguō / argute