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nag 1 (năg)
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v. nagged, nag·ging, nags
v.tr.
1. To annoy by constant scolding, complaining, or urging.
2. To torment persistently, as with anxiety or pain.
v.intr.
1. To scold, complain, or find fault constantly: nagging at the children.
2. To be a constant source of anxiety or annoyance: The half-remembered quotation nagged at my mind.
n.
One who nags.
[Probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse gnaga, to bite, gnaw.]
nagger n.
nagging·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
 
nag 2 (năg)
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n.
1. A horse, especially:
a. An old or worn-out horse.
b. Slang A racehorse.
2. Archaic A small saddle horse or pony.
[Middle English nagge, possibly of Low German origin.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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