Etymology

essay

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Today it means: A written composition of moderate length, exploring a particular issue or subject. Full definition →

Middle French essay ← Old French essay ← Latin exagium
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essay · noun1

  1. Latin · derived fromexagium“weight; weighing, testing on the balance”
  2. Old French · derived fromessay
  3. Middle French · borrowed fromessay
  4. English todayessay

Since late 16th century, borrowed from Middle French essay, essai (“essay”), meaning coined by Montaigne at the same time, from the same words with the earlier meanings 'experiment; assay; attempt', from Old French essay, essai, assay, assai, from Latin exagium (“weight; weighing, testing on the balance”), from exigere + -ium.

essay · verb2

  1. Old French · derived fromessaiier
  2. Middle French · derived fromessayer
  3. English todayessay

From Middle French essayer, essaier, from Old French essaiier, essayer, essaier, assaiier, assayer, assaier, from essay, essai, assay, assai (“attempt; assay; experiment”) as above.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.