Awakening
/əˈweɪkənɪŋ/noun
The act of becoming awake or becoming aware of something.
Did you know?The word’s deep Germanic ancestry is linked to an ancient Indo-European root associated with being lively or vigorous, which later produced words connected with wakefulness and vitality.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*weg-
“To be strong, lively, or active.”
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*wakjaną
“To wake someone or cause someone to become awake.”
Old English
Old English
āwæcnan
“To awaken, rouse from sleep, or become awake.”
Middle English
Middle English
awak(en)
“To wake up or rouse; also increasingly used figuratively for becoming aware.”
Modern English
English
awakening
“The act or process of waking, recognizing, or becoming conscious of something.”