sedate

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*sed-“to sit”
2. Latin · derived fromsēdātus“calm, quiet, composed”
3. Middle English · inherited fromsedate“not painful or sore”
4. English todaysedate

The adjective is derived from Late Middle English sedate (“not painful or sore”), and directly from its etymon Latin sēdātus (“calm, quiet, composed”), participial adjective from sēdō (“to allay, appease, calm, settle; to end, stop”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sed- (“to sit”). Compare English -ate (suffix forming adjectives meaning ‘characterized by [the thing specified]’). The verb is partly derived from sēdāt-, a participial stem of sēdō (verb sense 2—“to make (someone or something) calm”; see above), and partly a back-formation from sedation (verb sense 1—“to give (a person) a sedative”) + English -ate (suffix forming verbs). It is first attested slightly later than the adjective.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from mid 17th c. Of one's mind, thoughts, etc.: calm, sober.
• from mid 17th c. To make (someone or something) calm or tranquil; to assuage, to calm, to soothe.