Say
/seɪ/noun
To utter words or express something in speech or writing.
Did you know?English say comes from the same ancient Germanic root as Latin secāre “to cut,” a reminder that speech was once imagined as something that could carve or mark the world.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sek-
“To cut”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*sagjaną
“To say, tell”
Old English
English
secgan
“To say, tell, declare”
Middle English
English
sayn
“To say, speak”
Modern English
English
say
“To utter words or express in speech or writing”