Etymology dictionary
assorted (adj.) — atelectasis (n.)
assorted (adj.)
"consisting of selected kinds arranged in sorts," 1797, past-participle adjective from assort (v.).
assortment (n.)
1610s, "action of arranging into kinds or classes," from assort + -ment. The sense of "group of things of the same sort" is attested from 1759; that of "group of arranged things whether of the same sort or not" from 1791.
assuage (v.)
"soften, alleviate," usually figuratively, of pain, anger, passion, grief, etc., c. 1300, from Anglo-French assuager, Old French assoagier "soften, moderate, alleviate, calm, soothe, pacify," from Vulgar Latin *adsuaviare, from Latin ad "to" (see ad-) + suavis "sweet, agreeable" (from PIE root *swād- "sweet, pleasant;" see sweet (adj.)).
In Middle English very common as swage, a shortened form, also in part from Anglo-French suager, a variant of Old French soagier. For sound development in French, compare deluge from Latin diluvium, abridge from abbreviare. Related: Assuaged; assuaging.
assuasive (adj.)
"mitigating, soothing," 1708, probably from assume on model of persuasive, etc.
assume (v.)
early 15c., "to arrogate, take upon oneself," from Latin assumere, adsumere "to take up, take to oneself, take besides, obtain in addition," from ad "to, toward, up to" (see ad-) + sumere "to take," from sub "under" (see sub-) + emere "to take" (from PIE root *em- "to take, distribute").
The meaning "to suppose, to take for granted without proof as the basis of argument" is recorded by 1590s; that of "to take or put on fictitiously" (an appearance, etc.) is from c. 1600. Related: Assumed; assuming.
The early past participle was assumpt. In rhetorical usage, assume expresses what the assumer postulates, often as a confessed hypothesis; presume expresses what the presumer really believes. Middle English also had assumpten "to receive up into heaven" (especially of the Virgin Mary), from the Latin past participle.
assumable (adj.)
"capable of being assumed," 1780 (re-assumable is from 1724), from assume + -able. Related: Assumably; assumability.
assumpsit (n.)
"legal action for recovery of damages through breach of contract," legal Latin, literally "he has taken upon himself," perfect indicative of assumere "to take up, take to oneself" (see assume). The word embodies the allegation that the defendant promised or undertook to perform the specified act.
assumption (n.)
c. 1300, assumpcioun, "the reception, uncorrupted, of the Virgin Mary into Heaven" (also the Aug. 15 Church festival commemorating this, Feast of the Assumption), from Old French assumpcion, asumpsion (13c.) and directly from Latin assumptionem (nominative assumptio) "a taking up, receiving, acceptance, adoption," noun of action from past-participle stem of assumere "take up, take to oneself" (see assume).
The meaning "minor premise of a syllogism" is late 14c. The meaning "appropriation of a right or possession" is mid-15c. in English, from a Latin use (Cicero). The meaning "action of taking for oneself" is recorded from 1580s; that of "something taken for granted" is from 1620s.
assumptive (adj.)
"capable of being assumed; characterized by assumptions," early 15c., from Medieval Latin assumptivus, from assumpt-, past-participle stem of assumere/adsumere "take up, take to oneself" (see assume) + -ive. The oldest sense in English is medical, of bloodletting, "withdrawing humors from opposite parts of the body."
assure (v.)
late 14c., "reassure, give confidence to; make secure or safe, protect; bind by a pledge, give a promise or pledge (to do something)," from Old French asseurer "to reassure, calm, protect, to render sure" (12c., Modern French assurer), from Vulgar Latin *assecurar, from assimilated form of Latin ad "to" (see ad-) + securus "safe, secure" (see secure (adj.)). Related: Assured; assuring.
assured (adj.)
late 14c., of persons, "confident, self-assured," past-participle adjective from assure. From early 15c. as "secure, made safe." Related: Assuredly; assuredness.
assurance (n.)
late 14c., "formal or solemn pledge, promise," also "certainty, full confidence," from Old French asseurance "assurance, promise; truce; certainty, safety, security" (11c., Modern French assurance), from asseurer "to reassure, to render sure" (see assure). The meaning "self-confident" is from 1590s. The word had a negative tinge 18c., often suggesting impudence or presumption.
Assyria
Middle English, from Latin Assyria, from Greek Assyria, short for Assyria ge "the Assyrian land," from fem. of Assyrios "pertaining to Assyria," from Akkadian Ashshur, name of the chief city of the kingdom and also of a god, probably from Assyrian sar "prince." Compare Syria. Related: Assyrian.
Assyriology (n.)
1846, from Assyria + -ology. Related: Assyriologist.
-ast
agential suffix, from French -ast, from Latin -asta, from Greek -astes, the form of -istes (see -ist) used after -i-.
Astarte
name of a Phoenician goddess identified by the Greeks with their Aphrodite, from Greek Astarte, from Phoenician Astoreth (plural Ashtaroth), equivalent to Assyrian Ishtar. Apparently properly a virginal goddess of the moon or the heavens, but she has been frequently confounded since Biblical times with the sensual Ashera (see Asherah).
astatic (adj.)
"unsteady, unstable, taking no fixed position," 1827, with -ic + Greek astatos "unstable, not steadfast," from a- "not, without" (see a- (3)) + statos "placed, standing" (from PIE root *sta- "to stand, make or be firm"). Related: Astatically.
astatine (n.)
radioactive element, named 1947, from Greek astatos "unstable" (see astatic) + chemical suffix -ine (2). So called for its short half-life and lack of stable isotopes. "The element appears not to have a stable form and probably does not exist in nature" [Flood, "Origin of Chemical Names"].
asteism (n.)
"genteel irony, polite mockery," 1580s, from Greek asteismos "wit, witticism," from asteios "refined, elegant, witty, clever," literally "of a city or town" (as opposed to "country"), from asty "town, city," especially (without the article) "Athens," which is possibly from a suffixed form of PIE root *wes- (3) "to live, dwell, stay" (see Vesta). For sense, compare urbane.
asterism (n.)
1590s, "a constellation, a group of stars," from Greek asterismos "a marking with stars," from aster "star" (from PIE root *ster- (2) "star"). Originally any grouping of stars, whether a constellation or not; in modern use usually the latter. The "Big Dipper" is an asterism; Ursa Major is the constellation which contains it. Other examples are the "Summer Triangle," "the sickle" of Leo, "the teapot" of Sagittarius.
aster (n.)
flower genus, 1706, from Latin aster "star," from Greek aster (from PIE root *ster- (2) "star"); so called for the radiate heads of the flowers. Originally used in English in the Latin sense (c. 1600) but this is obsolete.
-aster
word-forming element expressing incomplete resemblance (such as poetaster), usually diminutive and deprecatory, from Latin -aster, from a suffix forming nouns from verbs ending in Greek -azein; in later Latin generalized as a pejorative suffix, as in patraster "he who plays the father."
asterisk (n.)
"figure used in printing and writing to indicate footnote, omission, etc., or to distinguish words or phrases as conjectural," late 14c., asterich, asterisc, from Late Latin asteriscus, from Greek asteriskos "little star," diminutive of aster "star" (from PIE root *ster- (2) "star"). As a verb from 1733.
astern (adv.)
"toward the hinder part of a ship," 1620s, from a- (1) "on" + stern (n.).
asteroid (n.)
"one of the planetoids orbiting the sun, found mostly between Mars and Jupiter," 1802, coined probably by German-born English astronomer William Herschel (1738-1822) from Greek asteroeides "star-like," from aster "star" (from PIE root *ster- (2) "star") + -eidos "form, shape" (see -oid). Related: Asteroidal.
asthenic (adj.)
"characterized by debility, weak," 1788, from Latinized form of Greek asthenikos, asthenes "weak, without strength, feeble" (see asthenia).
asthenia (n.)
"weakness, debility," 1788, medical Latin, from Greek astheneia "want of strength, weakness, feebleness, sickness; a sickness, a disease," from asthenes "weak, without strength, feeble," from a- "not, without" (see a- (3)) + sthenos "strength, power, ability, might," which is of uncertain origin, perhaps from PIE root *segh- "to have, hold," on the notion of "steadfastness, toughness."
asthenosphere (n.)
layer of the Earth's upper mantle, 1914, literally "sphere of weakness" (by comparison with the lithosphere), from Greek asthenes "weak" (see asthenia) + sphere.
asthma (n.)
"respiratory disorder characterized by paroxysms of labored breathing and a feeling of contraction in the chest," late 14c., asma, asma, from Latin asthma, from Greek asthma "shortness of breath, a panting," from azein "breathe hard," probably related to anemos "wind" (from PIE root *ane- "to breathe;" see animus). The -th- was restored in English 16c.
asthmatic (adj.)
"pertaining to or afflicted with asthma," 1540s, from Latin asthmaticus, from Greek asthmatikos, from asthma "shortness of breath" (see asthma). The noun meaning "person with asthma" is recorded from 1610s.
astigmatism (n.)
"defect in the structure of the eye whereby the rays of light do not converge to a point upon the retina," 1849, coined by the Rev. William Whewell, English polymath, from Greek a- "without" (see a- (3)) + stigmatos genitive of stigma "a mark, spot, puncture" (from PIE root *steig- "to stick; pointed;" see stick (v.)).
astigmatic (adj.)
"exhibiting astigmatism," 1849; see astigmatism + -ic.
astir (adv.)
"up and about," 1799, Scottish English, from phrase on the stir, or from Scottish asteer; from a- (1) + stir (see stir (v.)). Old English had astyrian, which yielded Middle English ben astired "be stirred up, excited, aroused."
astonishment (n.)
1590s, "state of being amazed or shocked with wonder;" see astonish + -ment. Earlier it meant "paralysis" (1570s).
astonish (v.)
c. 1300, astonien, "to stun, strike senseless," from Old French estoner "to stun, daze, deafen, astound," from Vulgar Latin *extonare, from Latin ex "out" (see ex-) + tonare "to thunder" (see thunder (n.)); so, literally "to leave someone thunderstruck." The modern form (influenced by English verbs in -ish, such as distinguish, diminish) is attested from 1520s. The meaning "amaze, shock with wonder" is from 1610s.
In Tyndale the voice of God left Saul astonyed. Related: Astonished; astonishing.
astonishing (adj.)
"causing wonder or amazement," 1620s, present-participle adjective from astonish. Related: Astonishingly.
astound (v.)
mid-15c., from Middle English astouned, astoned (c. 1300), past participle of astonen, astonien "to stun" (see astonish), with more of the original sense of Vulgar Latin *extonare. The unusual form is perhaps because the past participle was so much more common that it came to be taken for the infinitive, or/and by the same pattern which produced round (v.) from round (adj.), or by the intrusion of an unetymological -d as in sound (n.1). Related: Astounded; astounding.
astounding (adj.)
"stunning," 1580s, present-participle adjective from astound (v.). Related: Astoundingly.
astragalus (n.)
1540s in botany, a large genus of plants that include the milkvetch, loco-weed and goat's thorn; 1560s in anatomy in reference to a type of bone, usually in or near the ankle. Historically these bones, especially those taken from deer, were used as a type of die for games and fortune telling. It is attested from 1560s in architecture as a type of molding. All senses are from Greek astragalos "neck vertebra; ankle bone; knuckle-bones (used as dice)," which generally is considered to be from the same root as osteon "a bone" (see osteo-), but Beekes says they are unrelated.
astray (adv.)
early 14c., o strai, "away from home; lost, wandering" (of cattle), borrowed and partially nativized from Old French estraie, past participle of estraier "astray, riderless (of a horse), lost," literally "on stray" (see stray (v.)). Figurative use is from late 14c.
astral (adj.)
c. 1600, "pertaining to the stars," from Late Latin astralis, from Latin astrum "star," from Greek astron "a star" (from PIE root *ster- (2) "star"). The meaning "pertaining to supersensible substances" is from 1690s, popularized late 19c. in Theosophy.
astriction (n.)
"act of binding close or constricting," especially contraction by applications, 1560s, from Latin astrictionem (nominative astrictio) "a power of contracting," noun of action from past-participle stem of astringere "to bind fast, tighten, contract," from assimilated form of ad "to" (see ad-) + stringere "draw tight" (see strain (v.)). Related: Astrictive (1550s). As verbs, astrict is from 1510s; astringe from 1520s.
Astrid
fem. proper name, from Norse; it is cognate with Old High German Ansitruda, from ansi "god" (see Aesir) + trut "beloved, dear."
astride (adv.)
"with one leg on each side," 1660s, from a- (1) "on" + stride (n.).
astringent (adj.)
1540s, "binding, contracting," from Latin astringentum (nominative astringens), present participle of astringere "to bind fast, tighten, contract," from assimilated form of ad "to" (see ad-) + stringere "draw tight" (see strain (v.)). Related: Astringently; astringency. As a noun from 1620s, "an astringent substance, something which contracts tissues and thereby checks discharge of blood."
astro-
element active in English word formation from mid-18c. and meaning "star or celestial body; outer space," from Greek astro-, stem and combining form of astron "star," which is related to aster "star," from PIE root *ster- (2) "star." In ancient Greek, aster typically was "a star" and astron mostly in plural, "the stars." In singular it mostly meant "Sirius" (the brightest star).
astrobiology (n.)
1903, from French astrobiologie; see astro- "star" + biology. Related: Astrobiological; astrobiologist.
astrobleme (n.)
"crypto-explosion structure on Earth caused by meteorite or asteroid impact," 1961, literally "star-wound," from astro- "star" + Greek bleme "throw of a missile; wound caused by a missile," from ballein "to throw" (from PIE root *gwele- "to throw, reach"). Coined by U.S. geologist Robert S. Dietz.
astrognosy (n.)
"knowledge of the fixed stars, their names, magnitudes, etc.," 1835, from astro- "star" + -gnosy, from Greek gnōsis "a knowing, knowledge" (from PIE root *gno- "to know").
astrography (n.)
"the mapping of the fixed stars," 1740, from astro- + -graphy. Related: Astrographic.
astroid (adj.)
"star-shaped," 1909, from Greek astroeides, from astron "star" (from PIE root *ster- (2) "star") + -oeidēs (see -oid). Earlier as a noun (1897).
astrolabe (n.)
"instrument for measuring the altitude of the sun and stars," mid-14c., from Old French astrelabe, from Medieval Latin astrolabium, from Greek astrolabos (organon) "star-taking (instrument)," from astron "star" (from PIE root *ster- (2) "star") + lambanien "to take" (see lemma).
astrolatry (n.)
"worship of heavenly bodies," 1670s; see astro- "star" + -latry "worship of."
astrology (n.)
late 14c., "calculation and foretelling based on observation of heavenly bodies," from Latin astrologia "astronomy, the science of the heavenly bodies," from Greek astrologia "astronomy," literally "a telling of the stars," from astron "star" (from PIE root *ster- (2) "star") + -logia "treating of" (see -logy).
Originally identical with astronomy and including scientific observation and description. The special sense of "astronomy applied to prediction of events" was divided into natural astrology "the calculation and foretelling of natural phenomenon" (tides, eclipses, dates of Church festivals, etc.), and judicial astrology "the art of judging occult influences of stars and planets on human affairs."
In Latin and later Greek, astronomia tended to be more scientific than astrologia. In English, the differentiation between astrology and astronomy began late 1400s and by late 17c. this word was limited to the sense of "reading influences of the stars and their effects on human destiny."
astrologer (n.)
late 14c., "an observer of the stars," from astrology + -er (1). It drove out French import astrologein, which, had it survived, probably would have yielded *astrologian, as in Chaucer's "The wise Astrologen." Also in Middle English in reference to cocks as announcers of sunrise.
The narrowed meaning "one who professes to determine the influence of planets on persons and events" is from c. 1600, however during the early Modern English period when astrologer and astronomer began to be differentiated, "the relation between them was at first the converse of the present usage" [OED]. Shakespeare used astronomer where we would write astrologer.
astrological (adj.)
"pertaining to astrology," 1590s; see astrology + -ical. Related: Astrologically.
astromancy (n.)
"astrology, art of judging occult influences of stars and planets on human affairs," 1650s; see astro- + -mancy "divination by means of."
astronaut (n.)
"space-traveler," 1929 in scientific speculation, popularized from 1961 by U.S. space program, a compound from Greek elements, from astro- "star" + Greek nautēs "sailor" (from PIE root *nau- "boat").
French astronautique (adj.) had been coined 1927 by "J.H. Rosny," pen name of Belgian-born science fiction writer Joseph Henri Honoré Boex, on model of aéronautique, and Astronaut was used in 1880 as the name of a fictional spaceship by English writer Percy Greg in "Across the Zodiac."
astronautics (n.)
"the art of traveling in outer space," 1929; see astronaut + -ics.
astronomer (n.)
"one versed in the laws of the heavenly bodies," late 14c., from astronomy (q.v.) + -er (1). It replaced French import astronomyen (c. 1300), which, had it survived, probably would have yielded *astronomian. For sense differentiation, see astrology, and compare astrologer.
astronomical (adj.)
1550s, "pertaining to astronomy," from astronomy + -ical. The popular meaning "immense, concerning very large figures" (as sizes and distances in astronomy) is attested from 1899. Astronomical unit (abbreviation A.U.) "mean distance from the Earth to the Sun," used as a unit of measure of distance in space, is from 1909. Related: Astronomically.
astronomy (n.)
c. 1200, "astronomy, astrology, scientific or occult study of heavenly bodies," from Old French astrenomie "astronomy, astrology," from Latin astronomia, from Greek astronomia, abstract noun from astronomos, literally "star-regulating," from astron "star" (from PIE root *ster- (2) "star") + nomos "arranging, regulating; rule, law" (from PIE root *nem- "assign, allot; take"). Perhaps originally with reference to mapping the constellations or movements of planets.
In English, astronomy is earlier than astrology and originally included the senses now distributed over both words; the gradual differentiation was complete by late 17c. and astronomy came to mean exclusively "the scientific study of the heavenly bodies." See astrology.
astrophotography (n.)
"application of photography to the stars, sun, planets, etc.," 1858, from astro- + photography.
astrophysicist (n.)
"expert in the physics of heavenly bodies," also astro-physicist, 1869, from astro- + physicist. Related: Astrophysics (1877); astrophysical.
AstroTurf (n.)
1966, proprietary name for a kind of artificial grass, so called because it was used first in the Houston, Texas, Astrodome, indoor sports stadium. See astro- + turf. Houston was the site of the control center of the U.S. space program.
astute (adj.)
"keen in discernment and careful of one's self-interest," 1610s, from Latin astutus "crafty, wary, shrewd; sagacious, expert," from astus "cunning, cleverness, adroitness," which is of uncertain origin. The Romans considered it to be from Greek asty "town," borrowed into Latin and implying city sophistication (see asteism). Related: Astutely; astuteness.
An alternative form is astucious (1823), from French astucieux, from Latin astutia "astuteness." Also formerly astucity.
Astyanax
son of Hector and Andromache in the "Iliad," a Greek name, literally "lord of the city," from asty "city" (see asteism) + anax "chief, lord, master." Also the epithet of certain gods.
asunder (adv.)
"into a position apart, separate, into separate parts," mid-12c., a contraction of Old English on sundran (see a- (1) + sunder). Middle English used to know asunder for "distinguish, tell apart."
asylee (n.)
"one seeking asylum" in a nation, by 1954, irregularly formed from asylum + -ee.
asylum (n.)
early 15c., earlier asile (late 14c.), "place of refuge, sanctuary," from Latin asylum "sanctuary," from Greek asylon "refuge, fenced territory," noun use of neuter of asylos "inviolable, safe from violence," especially of persons seeking protection, from a- "without" (see a- (3)) + sylē "right of seizure," which is of unknown etymology.
Literally, "an inviolable place." Formerly a place where criminals and debtors sought shelter from justice and from which they could not be taken without sacrilege. The general sense of "safe or secure place" is from 1640s; the abstract sense of "inviolable shelter, protection from pursuit or arrest" is from 1712. The meaning "benevolent institution to shelter some class of persons suffering social, mental, or bodily defects" is from 1773, originally of female orphans.
asymmetrical (adj.)
"destitute of symmetry, unsymmetrical," 1680s; see asymmetry + -ical. Other forms that have served as an adjective based on asymmetry are asymmetral (1620s), asymmetrous (1660s), and asymmetric (1839); only the last seems to have any general currency. Related: Asymmetrically.
asymmetry (n.)
1650s, "want of symmetry or proportion," from Greek asymmetria "want of proportion or harmony," abstract noun from asymmetros "having no common measure; disproportionate, unsymmetrical," from a- "not" (see a- (3)) + symmetros "commensurable" (see symmetry).
asymptomatic (adj.)
"without symptoms," 1856, from a- (3) "not, without" + symptomatic.
asymptotic (adj.)
"having the characteristics of an asymptote," 1670s, see asymptote + -ic. Related: Asymptotical; asymptotically.
asymptote (n.)
"straight line continually approaching but never meeting a curve," 1650s, from Greek asymptotos "not falling together," from a- "not" (see a- (3)) + assimilated form of syn "with" (see syn-) + ptotos "fallen," verbal adjective from piptein "to fall" (from PIE root *pet- "to rush; to fly"). Related: Asymptosy.
asynchronous (adj.)
"not coinciding in time," 1735, from a- (3) "not, without" + synchronous "existing or happening at the same time." Related: Asynchronicity; asynchronism (1850).
asyndetic (adj.)
"characterized by asyndeton," 1823; see asyndeton + -ic.
asyndeton (n.)
"figure of speech consisting of omission of conjunctions," 1580s, from Latin, from Greek asyndeton, neuter of asyndetos "unconnected," from a- "not, without" (see a- (3)) + syndetos, from syndein "to bind together," from syn- "together" (see syn-) + dein "to bind," related to desmos "band" (from PIE root *dē- "to bind").
asyntactic (adj.)
"ungrammatical," 1874, from a- (3) "not, without, opposite of" + syntactic. Earlier it was used in classifying languages, "opposite of syntactic" (1819).
asystole (n.)
"condition in which a weakened heart remains continually filled with blood," 1860, medical Latin, from Greek a- "not, without" (see a- (3)) + systolē "contraction" (see systole).
at (prep.)
Old English æt, from Proto-Germanic *at (source also of Old Norse, Gothic at, Old Frisian et, Old High German az), from PIE root *ad- "to, near, at." Lost in German and Dutch, which use their equivalent of to; in Scandinavian, however, to has been lost and at fills its place.
In choosing between at church, in church, etc. at is properly distinguished from in or on by involving some practical connection; a worshipper is at church; a tourist is in the church. In 19c. it was used for points of the compass as regions of a country (at the South) where later tendency was to use in.
The colloquial use of at after where (as in where it's at) is noted in Bartlett (1859). At last is recorded from late 13c.; adverbial phrase at least was in use by 1775. At in Middle English was used freely with prepositions (as in at after, which is in Shakespeare), but this has faded with the exception of at about.
ate
past tense of eat (q.v.).
-ate (1)
word-forming element used in forming nouns from Latin words ending in -atus, -atum (such as estate, primate, senate). Those that came to English via French often arrived with -at, but an -e was added after c. 1400 to indicate the long vowel. The suffix also can mark adjectives formed from Latin past participles in -atus, -ata (such as desolate, moderate, separate); again, they often were adopted in Middle English as -at, with an -e appended after c. 1400.
-ate (2)
verbal suffix for Latin verbs in -are, identical with -ate (1). Old English commonly made verbs from adjectives by adding a verbal ending to the word (such as gnornian "be sad, mourn," gnorn "sad, depressed"), but as the inflections wore off English words in late Old and early Middle English, there came to be no difference between the adjective and the verb in dry, empty, warm, etc. Thus accustomed to the identity of adjectival and verbal forms of a word, the English, when they began to expand their Latin-based vocabulary after c. 1500, simply made verbs from Latin past-participial adjectives without changing their form (such as aggravate, substantiate) and it became the custom that Latin verbs were Englished from their past participle stems.
at-
assimilated form of ad- "to, toward, before" before stems beginning in -t-; see ad-. In Old French and Middle English regularly reduced to a-, later restored.
-ate (3)
in chemistry, word-forming element used to form the names of salts from acids in -ic; from Latin -atus, -atum, suffix used in forming adjectives and thence nouns; identical with -ate (1).
at all (prep.)
"in any way," mid-14c., originally used only affirmatively (as in I Samuel xx.6 in KJV: "If thy father at all misse me"); now it is overwhelmingly used only in the negative or in interrogatory expressions, formerly also in literary attempts at Irish dialect.
Atalanta
in Greek mythology the daughter of king Schoeneus, famous for her swiftness, Latin, from Greek Atalantē, fem. of atalantos "having the same value (as a man)," from a- "one, together" (see a- (3)) + talanton "balance, weight, value" (see talent).
ataractic (adj.)
1906, of persons, "calm, serene," from Latinized form of Greek ataraktos "not disturbed" (see ataraxia) + -ic. From 1955 of drugs, "inducing calmness."
ataraxia (n.)
often Englished as ataraxy, c. 1600, "calmness, impassivity," a term used by stoics and skeptics, from Modern Latin, from Greek ataraxia "impassiveness," from a- "not, without" (see a- (3)) + tarassein (Attic tarattein) "to disturb, confuse" (from PIE root *dhrehgh- "to confuse"). It seems to have been disused; when ataraxia appeared in print in English in 1858 it was regarded as a neologism.
atavism (n.)
1833, in biology, "reversion by influence of heredity to ancestral characteristics, resemblance of a given organism to some remote ancestor, return to an early or original type," from French atavisme, attested by 1820s, said to have been coined by French botanist Antoine-Nicolas Duchesne, from Latin atavus "ancestor, forefather," from at- perhaps here meaning "beyond" + avus "grandfather" (from PIE *awo- "adult male relative other than the father;" see uncle).
atavic (adj.)
"pertaining to a remote ancestor, exhibiting atavism," 1850, from Latin atavus "ancestor" (see atavism) + -ic.
atavistic (adj.)
"pertaining to atavism," 1847; from stem of atavism + -istic.
ataxic (adj.)
"characterized by ataxia," 1799, from ataxia + -ic.
ataxia (n.)
often Englished as ataxy, 1660s in pathology, "irregularity of bodily functions," medical Latin, from Greek ataxia, abstract noun from a- "not, without" (see a- (3)) + taxis "arrangement, order," from stem of tassein "to arrange" (see tactics). It was used earlier in English in a sense of "confusion, disorder" (1610s).
at bay (prep.)
late 14c., originally often at the bay; see bay (n.3). Figurative use, of human beings in difficulties, is from c. 1400. The expression reflects the former more widespread use of at. The earlier form of the phrase was at abai, used of hunted animals, "unable to escape," c. 1300, from French.
at-bat (n.)
"baseball player's turn at the plate," 1912, originally a column heading in statistics tables, from the prepositional phrase.
atchoo
imitative of the sound of sneezing, first attested 1873, as atcha (a-tschoo is from 1878, achoo by 1885).
atechnical (adj.)
"free from technicalities," by 1889, from a- (3) "not, without" + technical.
atechnic (adj.)
"not having technical knowledge," 1869, from a- (3) "not, without" + technic.
atelectasis (n.)
"incomplete expansion of the lungs," 1836, medical Latin, from Greek atelēs "imperfect, incomplete" (see atelo-) + ektosis "extention," from ek "out of, from" (see ex-) + teinein "to stretch" (from PIE root *ten- "to stretch"). Related: Atelectatic.