audient

The story

1. Late Latin · borrowed fromaudiēns“catechumen”
2. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*h₂ewis“clearly, manifestly”
3. Latin · borrowed fromaudientem
4. English todayaudient

Borrowed from Latin audientem, accusative singular of audiēns (“hearing, listening; attending, paying attention to”) (or directly from audiēns), the present active participle of audiō (“to hear, listen to; to attend, pay attention to”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewis (“clearly, manifestly”) (from *h₂ew- (“to perceive, see”)) + *dʰh₁-ye/o- (“to render”). The noun may be borrowed from Late Latin audiēns (“catechumen”), from the participle audiēns.

First known use, by meaning

• from mid 16th c. Listening, paying attention.