English
axiom
Axiom comes from Ancient Greek ἀξίωμα ‘that which is thought to fit, a requisite’, from ἄγω ‘to weigh (down)’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ- ‘to drive’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eǵ-‘to drive’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂éǵeti‘to be driving’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*ágō‘to lead, to guide’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἄγωágō‘to weigh (down)’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἄξιοςáxios‘fit, worthy’literally ‘weighing as much as; of like value’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀξιόωaxióō‘to think fit or worthy, to require, to demand’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀξίωμαaxíōma‘that which is thought to fit, a requisite’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaxiōma
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600axiome
- Englishearliest quotation 1734axiom
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eǵ-‘to drive’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂éǵeti‘to be driving’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*ágō‘to lead, to guide’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἄγωágō‘to weigh (down)’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἄξιοςáxios‘fit, worthy’literally ‘weighing as much as; of like value’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀξιόωaxióō‘to think fit or worthy, to require, to demand’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀξίωμαaxíōma‘that which is thought to fit, a requisite’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaxiōma
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600axiome
- Englishearliest quotation 1734axiom
Earliest quotation: 1734, Philalethes Cantabrigiensis: “[…] Geometry, an excellent Logic, as you obſerve, where…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ- ‘to drive’
suggest, register, reaction, actively, essay, transaction, acre, gesture, digest, inactive, radioactive, congestion, agrarian, belligerent, progesterone, retroactive, unambiguous, reagent, hyperactivity, ingest, gestation, agitate, ambiguously, agger, samaj, gerund, gestion, 131 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti ‘to be driving’
act, action, active, agency, activity, actual, agent, actor, agenda, activate, ambiguous, squat, agile, ambiguity, agility, assay, agitation, radium, actuator, cogent, actuation, inexact, actuate, exigent, 113 more
through Proto-Hellenic *ágō ‘to lead, to guide’
agony, antagonist, antagonism, agonist, antagonize, agonize, 23 more
through Ancient Greek ἄγω ‘to weigh (down)’
Today it means
noun A seemingly self-evident or necessary truth which is based on assumption; a principle or proposition which cannot actually be proved or disproved.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ- / axiom