If you know someone who is Italian than you most likely have heard the word "agita" murmured under their breath. So what is agita other than a word I use when my children don't call me back?
A-gi-ta (noun): a feeling of agitation or anxiety
Example: <took a deep breath to dispel her agita as she stepped onstage>
Origin: Italian dialect pron. of Italian acido, literally, heartburn, acid, from Latin acidus
Example: <took a deep breath to dispel her agita as she stepped onstage>
Origin: Italian dialect pron. of Italian acido, literally, heartburn, acid, from Latin acidus
According to Merriam-Webster, "Judging by its spelling and meaning, you might think that "agita" is simply a shortened version of "agitation," but that's not the case. Both "agitation" and the verb "agitate" derive from Latin "agere" ("to drive"). "Agita," which first appeared in American English in the early 1980s, comes from a dialectical pronunciation of the Italian word "acido," meaning "heartburn" or "acid," from Latin "acidus." ("Agita" is also occasionally used in English with the meaning "heartburn.") For a while the word's usage was limited to New York City and surrounding regions, but the word became more widespread in the mid-90s."
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