English
asseverate
Asseverate comes from Latin assevērō ‘to assert’, from sevērus ‘severe’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *seǵʰ- ‘to hold’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*seǵʰ-‘to hold’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*séǵʰwr̥‘holding’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*seɣwēros‘severe’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsevērus‘severe’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEassevērō‘to assert’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEassevērāre
- Englishearliest quotation 1642asseverate
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*seǵʰ-‘to hold’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*séǵʰwr̥‘holding’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*seɣwēros‘severe’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsevērus‘severe’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEassevērō‘to assert’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEassevērāre
- Englishearliest quotation 1642asseverate
Earliest quotation: 1642, Sir Richard Gurney, The Lord Maior of Londons Letter to the King at Yorke: “Whereas Your Maiesty hath received true information of great…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *seǵʰ- ‘to hold’
school, sketch, scholar, hector, hectic, epoch, schema, scholastic, shul, 21 more
through Proto-Italic *seɣwēros ‘severe’
through Latin sevērus ‘severe’
Today it means
verb To assert earnestly, seriously, and confidently
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *seǵʰ- / asseverate