Ate
/eɪt/noun
The past tense of eat, meaning to have consumed food.
Did you know?In Greek mythology, Ate was the goddess of mischief and ruin, embodying the destructive power of folly and madness, influencing even the wisest heroes.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ed-
“to eat or consume, an act of taking in sustenance.”
Latin
Latin
edere
“to eat or to put in one's mouth.”
Old French
Old French
eter
“to eat, to consume.”
Middle English
Middle English
eten
“to consume food.”
Modern English
English
eat
“to take in food, later evolving to 'ate' as the past tense.”