Etymology Map
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Active

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means engaging in physical activity; in operation

Where does the word "active" come from? It comes from Latin activus, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
activus
Latin · ancient
"active"
from 'agere', to do
2
Stage 2 of 3
actif
Old French · medieval
"active"
'active' and 'passive' were used in grammar and in describing the contemplative and active life
3
Stage 3 of 3
active
English · 1300s
"active"
first recorded in 1340 in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', a Kentish monk's translation of the French moral treatise 'Somme le Roi'; 'active voice' in grammar dates from the 1500s
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Read the full story

Active’s story begins in Latin: activus meant “active.” From 'agere', to do. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as actif. 'active' and 'passive' were used in grammar and in describing the contemplative and active life. It reached English by 1300s as active. First recorded in 1340 in the 'Ayenbite of Inwyt', a Kentish monk's translation of the French moral treatise 'Somme le Roi'; 'active voice' in grammar dates from the 1500s. Today, active means engaging in physical activity; in operation.