oscillate

The story

1. Latin · derived fromōscillō“to swing”
2. Latin · borrowed fromōscillātus
3. English todayoscillate

First attested in 1726; borrowed from Latin ōscillātus, perfect passive participle of Latin ōscillō (“to swing”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from ōscillum (“a swing”), usually identified with ōscillum (“a little face or mask hung on a tree that sways with the wind”), diminutive of ōs (“mouth, face”). See also osculate.

Words from the same roots