exacerbate

The story

1. Latin · derived fromexacerbō“to provoke”
2. Latin · borrowed fromexacerbātus
3. English todayexacerbate

First attested in 1660; borrowed from Latin exacerbātus, perfect passive participle of Latin exacerbō (“to provoke”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from ex- (“out of; thoroughly”) + acerbō (“to embitter, harshen or worsen”).