English word origin

Etymology of active

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Unnumbered source etymology · variant 1/2

Original entry ↗

noun

A person or thing that is acting or capable of acting. · Any component that is not passive. See Passivity (engineering).

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti Proto-Italic *agō Latin agō Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus ▲ Ancient Greek ἐνεργητικός (energētikós)sl. Latin āctīvuslbor. Old French actifbor. Middle English actyf English active From Middle English actyf, from Old French actif, from Latin āctīv(us), from agere (“to do, to act”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti. By surface analysis, act + -ive.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Root classification mention*h₂eǵ-ine-pro
Inherited-form mentionactyfenm
Derivation mentionactiffro
Derivation mentionactivusla
Derivation mention*h₂éǵetiine-pro

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:actyf",
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      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ-\nProto-Indo-European *-eti\nProto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti\nProto-Italic *agō\nLatin agō\nProto-Indo-European *-wós\nProto-Indo-European *-iHwósder.\nLatin -īvus\n▲\nAncient Greek ἐνεργητικός (energētikós)sl.\nLatin āctīvuslbor.\nOld French actifbor.\nMiddle English actyf\nEnglish active\n[Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"lbor.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Learned borrowing from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"agō\", \"gloss\" : \"to act\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"drive\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"be driving\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"drive\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*h₂eǵ-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-eti\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*h₂éǵeti\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"term\" : \"*agō\", \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"ago\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" }, { \"alt\" : \"-īvus\", \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*-iHwós\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjectival suffix\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-wós\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], 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    },
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      "name": "root",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*h₂eǵ-",
        "id": "drive"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
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      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
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      },
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    },
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      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "actif"
      },
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    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "activus",
        "alt": "āctīv(us)"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin āctīv(us)"
    },
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      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*h₂éǵeti"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti"
    },
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      "name": "surf",
      "args": {
        "1": "+suf",
        "2": "en",
        "3": "act",
        "4": "ive"
      },
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    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
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    ],
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      "*-eti",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-eti"
    ],
    [
      "*h₂éǵeti",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂éǵeti#Proto-Indo-European:_be_driving"
    ],
    [
      "*agō",
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    ],
    [
      "agō",
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    ],
    [
      "*-wós",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-wós#Proto-Indo-European:_adjectival_suffix"
    ],
    [
      "-īvus",
      "-ivus#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "ἐνεργητικός",
      "ἐνεργητικός#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "āctīvus",
      "activus#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "actif",
      "actif#Old_French"
    ],
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      "actyf",
      "actyf#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "actyf",
      "actyf#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "actif",
      "actif#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "āctīv(us)",
      "activus#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "agere",
      "ago#Latin"
    ],
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      "*h₂éǵeti",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂éǵeti"
    ],
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      "act",
      "act#English"
    ],
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      "-ive",
      "-ive#English"
    ]
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  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
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      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A person or thing that is acting or capable of acting.",
        "Any component that is not passive. See Passivity (engineering)."
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Unnumbered source etymology · variant 2/2

Original entry ↗

adj

Having the power or quality of acting; causing change; communicating action or motion; acting;—opposed to passive, that receives. · Quick in physical movement; of an agile and vigorous body; nimble. · In action; actually proceeding; working; in force · Emitting hot materials, such as lava, smoke, or steam, or producing tremors.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Root classification mention*h₂eǵ-ine-pro
Inherited-form mentionactyfenm
Derivation mentionactiffro
Derivation mentionactivusla
Derivation mention*h₂éǵetiine-pro

This page abbreviates 11 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:actyf",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ-\nProto-Indo-European *-eti\nProto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti\nProto-Italic *agō\nLatin agō\nProto-Indo-European *-wós\nProto-Indo-European *-iHwósder.\nLatin -īvus\n▲\nAncient Greek ἐνεργητικός (energētikós)sl.\nLatin āctīvuslbor.\nOld French actifbor.\nMiddle English actyf\nEnglish active\n[Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"lbor.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Learned borrowing from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"agō\", \"gloss\" : \"to act\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"drive\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"be driving\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"drive\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*h₂eǵ-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-eti\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*h₂éǵeti\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"term\" : \"*agō\", \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"ago\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" }, { \"alt\" : \"-īvus\", \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*-iHwós\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjectival suffix\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-wós\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"-ivus\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" }, { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"sl.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Semantic loan from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"ἐνεργητικός\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"grc\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"semantic loan\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"āctīvus\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"lbor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old French\", \"term\" : \"actif\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"fro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" }, { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"bor.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Borrowed from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"acts\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"made\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"is_duplicate\" : true, \"children\" : [ ], \"id\" : \"act\", \"status\" : { \"1\" : \"la\", \"2\" : \":inh\", \"3\" : \"itc-pro:*agō<id:drive>\", \"id\" : \"act\", \"title\" : \"agō\" }, \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"agō\", \"lang\" : \"la\" }, { \"id\" : \"past participle\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"verbal adjectives\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"verbal adjectives\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-tós\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"term\" : \"*-tos\", \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"-tus\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"āctus\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"ācta\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old French\", \"term\" : \"act\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"fro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"acte\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" }, { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"bor.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Borrowed from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"is_duplicate\" : true, \"children\" : [ ], \"id\" : \"-ive\", \"status\" : { \"1\" : \"la\", \"2\" : \":der\", \"3\" : \"ine-pro:<alt:*-iHwós><ety:from<*-wós<id:adjectival suffix>>>\", \"id\" : \"-ive\", \"pos\" : \"suffix\" }, \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"-īvus\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old French\", \"term\" : \"-if\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"fro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"-yf\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"afeq\", \"is_invisible\" : \"all\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"actyf\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"active\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"active\">"
    },
    {
      "name": "root",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*h₂eǵ-",
        "id": "drive"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "actyf"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English actyf"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "actif"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French actif"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "activus",
        "alt": "āctīv(us)"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin āctīv(us)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*h₂éǵeti"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti"
    },
    {
      "name": "surf",
      "args": {
        "1": "+suf",
        "2": "en",
        "3": "act",
        "4": "ive"
      },
      "expansion": "By surface analysis, act + -ive"
    },
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:actyf",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ-\nProto-Indo-European *-eti\nProto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti\nProto-Italic *agō\nLatin agō\nProto-Indo-European *-wós\nProto-Indo-European *-iHwósder.\nLatin -īvus\n▲\nAncient Greek ἐνεργητικός (energētikós)sl.\nLatin āctīvuslbor.\nOld French actifbor.\nMiddle English actyf\nEnglish active"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*h₂eǵ-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂eǵ-#Proto-Indo-European:_drive"
    ],
    [
      "*-eti",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-eti"
    ],
    [
      "*h₂éǵeti",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂éǵeti#Proto-Indo-European:_be_driving"
    ],
    [
      "*agō",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Italic/agō#Proto-Italic:_drive"
    ],
    [
      "agō",
      "ago#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "*-wós",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-wós#Proto-Indo-European:_adjectival_suffix"
    ],
    [
      "-īvus",
      "-ivus#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "ἐνεργητικός",
      "ἐνεργητικός#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "āctīvus",
      "activus#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "actif",
      "actif#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "actyf",
      "actyf#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "actyf",
      "actyf#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "actif",
      "actif#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "āctīv(us)",
      "activus#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "agere",
      "ago#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "*h₂éǵeti",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂éǵeti"
    ],
    [
      "act",
      "act#English"
    ],
    [
      "-ive",
      "-ive#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "Albanian",
      "lang_code": "sq",
      "word": "aktiv",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    },
    {
      "lang": "Malay",
      "lang_code": "ms",
      "word": "aktif",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "adj",
      "glosses": [
        "Having the power or quality of acting; causing change; communicating action or motion; acting;—opposed to passive, that receives.",
        "Quick in physical movement; of an agile and vigorous body; nimble.",
        "In action; actually proceeding; working; in force",
        "Emitting hot materials, such as lava, smoke, or steam, or producing tremors."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "specifically"
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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for active →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-YWN0aXZl