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Etymology
Dictionary
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Origin of the word AMBIGUOUS. Etymology of the word
AMBIGUOUS.
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From An Etymology
Dictionary of the English Language, by Walter W. Skeat, 1893 |
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AMBIGUOUS, doubtful.
(Lat.) Sir T. Elyot has ambiguous, The Governour, bk. iii. c.
4. The sb. ambiguite (printed anbiguite) occurs in the
Tale of Beryn, ed. Furnivall, 2577. [The adj. is formed with the
suffix -ous, which properly represents the F. -eux, and Lat. -osus,
but is also frequently used to express the Lat. -us merely; cf. pious,
sonorous, &c., from Lat. pius, sonorus.]—Lat. ambiguus,
doubtful; lit. driving about.—Lat. ambigere, to drive about, go round
about.—Lat. amb- = ambi-, about; and agere, to drive. On the
prefix, see Ambidextrous.
And see Agent. Der. ambiguous-ly; also
ambigu-it-y, from Lat. acc. ambiguitatem, nom. ambiguitas, doubt.
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| Etymology
Dictionary Index |
| A, B,
C, D, E,
F, G, H,
I, J, K,
L, M, N,
O, P, Q,
R, S, T,
U, V, W,
X, Y, Z
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| Key |
| Arab.=Arabic. |
| A.S.=Anglo
Saxon. |
| Bavar.=Bavarian |
| Bohem.=Bohemian. |
| C.=Celtic,
used as a general term for Irish, Gaelic, Welsh, Breton,
Cornish, &c. |
| Corn.=Cornish. |
| Dan.=Danish. |
| Du.=Dutch |
| E.=English. |
| E.E.=Early
English. |
| Europ.=European. |
| F.=French. |
| G.=German. |
| Gk.=Greek. |
| Goth.=Gothic. |
| Icel.=Icelandic. |
| Ital.=Italian. |
| L. or
Lat.=Latin. |
| Lith.
& Lithuan.=Lithuanian. |
| M.E.=Middle
English. |
| M.F.=Middle
French |
| M.H.G.=Middle
High German. |
| Norw.=Norwegian. |
| O.F.=Old
French. |
| O.H.G.=Old
High German. |
| Pers.=Persian. |
| Port.=Portuguese. |
| Scand.=Scandinavian,
used as a general term for Icelandic, Swedish, Danish,
&c. |
| Sc.=Scottish. |
| Skt.=Sanskrit. |
| Span.=Spanish. |
| Swed.=Sweish. |
| Teut.=Teutonic |
| Turk.=Turkish. |
| W.=Welsh. |
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