vexation

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*weǵʰ-
2. Latin · derived fromvexātiō“shaking or similar violent movement; (causing of) agitation, distress, suffering; harassment, persecution; trouble”
3. Old French · derived fromvexacion
4. Middle French · derived fromvexacion
5. Anglo-Norman · derived fromvexacion
6. Middle English · inherited fromvexacioun
7. English todayvexation

From Late Middle English vexacioun, vexation (“physical suffering; act of inflicting trouble (specifically through unjustified legal action); anxiety, mental distress; mental disturbance”), from Anglo-Norman vexacion, vexation, Middle French vexacion, vexation (“distress, suffering; harassment (specifically through unjustified legal action)”), and Old French vexacion, vexation (“distress, suffering; harassment”) (modern French vexation), and from their etymon Latin vexātiō (“shaking or similar violent movement; (causing of) agitation, distress, suffering; harassment, persecution; trouble”), from vexātus + -iō (suffix forming abstract nouns from verbs). Vexātus is the perfect passive participle of vexō (“to shake or jolt violently; to annoy, harass; to persecute; to trouble violently”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ-. By surface analysis, vex + -ation (suffix denoting an action or process or its result, or a quality or state). Doublet of quake.

Words from the same roots