Ass
/æs/noun
A domesticated donkey, often used for carrying burdens.
Did you know?The ancient Greeks associated donkeys with the fertility goddess Demeter, linking them to agricultural magic and abundance.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₁eḱs-
“to be sharp or pointed, related to the shape of ears.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἄσσος (ássos)
“a term for a donkey, signifying lowly status.”
Latin
Latin
asinus
“a donkey, symbolizing stubbornness and hard work.”
Old English
Old English
assa
“a donkey, used for labor and transport.”
Middle English
Middle English
asse
“retained the connotation of a lowly beast of burden.”
Modern English
English
ass
“the term evolved to denote the donkey, yet also took on pejorative connotations.”