amazing (English)

Where does "amazing" come from?

The English word 'amazing' is formed from 'amaze' combined with the suffix '-ing'[1]. The verb 'amaze' descends from Middle English forms like '*amasen', meaning to bewilder or perplex, which ultimately traces back to the Old English verb 'āmasian'[2]. This Old English term combines the intensifying prefix 'ā-' with '*masian', a word meaning to confound or dream that roots in Proto-Germanic and Proto-Indo-European language stages[2][3][4]. Over time, the meaning shifted from a state of confusion and bewilderment to causing wonder or possessing uniquely wonderful qualities.

Open questions

The ultimate origin of the proto-form '*masian' from Proto-Indo-European is considered a possibility rather than a certainty. [2]

Full etymology tree

amazing (English), 'Causing wonder and amazement; very surprising.'
- suffix amaze (English), 'To fill (someone) with surprise and wonder; to astonish, to astound, to surprise.'
  - inherited *amasen (Middle English)
    - inherited amasian (Old English), 'to amaze'
      - prefix a- (Old English), 'from, away, off, out'
      - prefix *masian (Old English), 'to confuse, confound, perplex'
        inherited *masōn (Proto-West Germanic)
        inherited *masōną (Proto-Germanic), 'to labour, struggle with, be confused'
- suffix -ing (English), 'Used to form present participles of verbs.'

Ancestors

amaze (English)
ing (English)
amasian (Old English)

Descendants and derived words

amazingly (English)
amazingness (English)
awesomazing (English)
unamazing (English)

Sources

Updated October 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris