The spelling of the word "wast passionate" may seem unusual but can be explained using IPA phonetic transcription. The first part, "wast," is pronounced as /wɑːst/, similar to "waste" but with a longer "a" sound. The second part, "passionate," is pronounced as /ˈpæʃənɪt/, with the stress on the second syllable and the "ti" at the end pronounced as "shun-it." Together, they form a phrase used in Shakespeare's plays to mean "you were very passionate."
The phrase "wast passionate" does not have a clear etymology, as it is not a commonly used term in modern English. However, we can break down the individual words to better understand their origins.
1. "Wast": This word is an archaic form of the second person singular past tense of the verb "to be". In Middle English, "wast" was used as "thou wast" or "you were". It can be traced back to the Old English word "wǣre", meaning "was".
2. "Passionate": This term comes from the Latin word "passionātus", which means "filled with passion". Its root is from the Latin word "passio", meaning "suffering" or "strong feeling". "Passionate" was adopted into Middle English from Old French, where it was spelled "passiounate".