Driven
/ˈdrɪvən/noun
Past participle of drive, meaning propelled, forced, or motivated to act.
Did you know?Driven comes from the same ancient root as words for driving, urging, and even the idea of a whip-like push, so its history is all about force before it became motivation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dʰreibh-
“to drive, push, or force onward”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*drībaną
“to drive, propel, or hunt”
Old English
English
drīfan
“to drive, chase, or push”
Middle English
English
driven
“driven; pushed or compelled”
Modern English
English
driven
“propelled, compelled, or highly motivated”