English
assai
Assai comes from Italian assai ‘very’, from Late Latin ad satis ‘copiously’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd ‘near, at’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂éd‘near, at’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*ad‘toward, to, on, up to, for’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEad‘toward, to (direction)’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEad satis‘copiously’
- Italianc. 1300–presentassai‘very’
- Englishtodaysame form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂éd‘near, at’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*ad‘toward, to, on, up to, for’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEad‘toward, to (direction)’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEad satis‘copiously’
- Italianc. 1300–presentassai‘very’
- Englishtodaysame form
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd ‘near, at’
through Proto-Italic *ad ‘toward, to, on, up to, for’
through Latin ad ‘toward, to (direction)’
agree, ad, aim, appoint, attire, await, amortization, adage, accolade, affix, adulation, alliteration, affine, après, adroit, apportion, adobo, apres, 19 more
Today it means
adv A tempo direction equivalent to "very".
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd / assai