ought

The story

1. Old English · derived fromāgan“to own, possess”
2. Old English · inherited fromāhte
3. Middle English · inherited fromoughte
4. English todayought

From Middle English oughte, aughte, aȝte, ahte, from Old English āhte, first and third person singular past tense of Old English āgan (“to own, possess”), equivalent to owe + -t. Cognate with Sanskrit ईश्वर (īśvará, “capable of, liable”).

Words from the same roots