English
passive
Passive comes from French passif ‘the passive voice’, from Latin passivus ‘serving to express the suffering of an action’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *peh₁- ‘to hurt’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*peh₁-‘to hurt’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpati‘to suffer’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpassuspast participle of pati
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpassivus‘serving to express the suffering of an action’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentpassif‘the passive voice’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500passyf
- Englishearliest quotation 2001passive
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*peh₁-‘to hurt’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpati‘to suffer’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpassuspast participle of pati
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpassivus‘serving to express the suffering of an action’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentpassif‘the passive voice’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500passyf
- Englishearliest quotation 2001passive
Earliest quotation: 2001, The Virginia Engineer: “Reductions In Both Size And Weight Offered By Integrated…”
The story
From Middle English passyf, passyve, from Middle French, French passif, from Latin passivus (‘serving to express the suffering of an action; in late Latin literally capable of suffering or feeling’), from passus, past participle of pati (‘to suffer’), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *peh₁- (‘to hurt’); compare patient.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *peh₁- ‘to hurt’
patient, patience, compatible, repent, compassion, fend, penitentiary, penance, fiend, penitent, penitence, 11 more
through Latin passus
mile, pace, passage, compass, pas, trespass, passable, 8 more
Today it means
adj Being subjected to an action without producing a reaction.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *peh₁- / passive