arrogant

Where does the word "arrogant" come from? It comes from Latin rogare, passing through Latin before entering English (1300s).

Arrogant’s story begins in Latin: rogare meant “to ask.” To ask, combined with ad- (to). Within Latin, it grew into arrogare by ancient. To claim for oneself, from ad- (to) and rogare (to ask). By ancient, Latin speakers had reshaped it into arrogans. Claiming too much for oneself, present participle of arrogare. It reached English by 1300s as arrogant. Settled as the English word for having an exaggerated sense of one's own importance. Today, arrogant means having an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient rogare "to ask", to ask, combined with ad- (to).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient arrogare "to claim for oneself", to claim for oneself, from ad- (to) and rogare (to ask).
3. Stage 3 · Latin · ancient arrogans "claiming too much for oneself", claiming too much for oneself, present participle of arrogare.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1300s arrogant "having an exaggerated sense of one's own importance", settled as the English word for having an exaggerated sense of one's own importance.