agitate
UK[ˈædʒɪteɪt]US[ˈædʒɪteɪt]
v
to make someone feel angry, anxious, or nervous
v
to argue or campaign strongly for or against a social or political change
v
to shake or stir a liquid briskly
Morpheme Breakdown
agit
ate
agit
to drive, to do
ate
verb suffix
Etymology
the word 'agitate' originates from the latin verb 'agitare', meaning 'to set in motion, drive, or stir', which itself is an intensive form of 'agere' ('to drive, lead, act'). this core sense of physical driving or shaking evolved metaphorically in english. by the late 16th century, it began to describe the stirring of emotions or the mind, leading to its psychological meaning. the political sense of stirring up public feeling or campaigning actively emerged in the 17th century, completing the journey from literal motion to figurative and social action.
Analysis
Structure: agit (to drive, to do) + ate (verb suffix)
agit is from latin 'agitare', a frequentative of 'agere' meaning 'to drive, to do, to act'. ate is a verb-forming suffix of latin origin.
Examples
the loud construction noise outside began to agitate the baby.
the group continued to agitate for reforms to the education system.
remember to agitate the mixture gently to dissolve the powder completely.