Etymology

There are diverging opinions on the origin of this word. Some claim that it is derived from Proto-Baltic *ing-, from the zero grade form *n̥gʰ of Proto-Indo-European *engʰ, a parallel form of *angʰ ‎(“narrow, narrowed, tied”) (whence German eng ‎(“narrow”)). The semantic evolution would be: “narrow, tight (adj.)” > “to feel tight, constrained” > “to be dissatisfied, sullen, angry” (cf. the evolution implicit in Old High German angi ‎(“narrow”), Old Norse angr ‎(“tedium, depression”), English anger). Cognates would include Lithuanian ìngas ‎(“lazy, idle”), iñgsti, iñgzti ‎(“to whimper, to whine; to moo, to squeal”), éngti ‎(“to strangle, to scratch, to skin, to oppress”), Proto-Slavic *ęgťi (Russian яга ‎(jagá, “witch, evil spirit”), Old Church Slavonic ѩдза ‎(jędza, “illness, weakness”), Bulgarian енза ‎(enza, “wound, sore; (dial.) disease”)), Old English inca ‎(“illness”), Old Norse ekki ‎(“sorrow; doubt”). Other researchers think that īgt is derived from Proto-Indo-European *aig- ‎(“sulky, sullen; sick”), in which case it is not cognate with Lithuanian iñgsti, éngti.^[1]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [îːkt]