Ambition (am-BISH-un)
Origin
From Middle English and Old French ambicion, ultimately from Latin ambitio, meaning “a going around,” especially the practice of going around seeking support or votes for public office.
Language Root
Root: Latin — ambire, meaning “to go around,” from ambi- (“around”) + ire (“to go”).
Original Meaning
In ancient Rome, ambitio referred to the act of going around soliciting votes and political support. From this practice, the word became associated with the desire for advancement, honor, and power.
Evolution Over Time
Ambition began with a surprisingly literal political image: candidates physically going around seeking votes. The term gradually shifted from the act of campaigning to the desire motivating it—the pursuit of status, recognition, achievement, or power. For centuries, ambition could carry a strongly negative implication of excessive personal advancement. Modern usage is more balanced and often treats ambition as an admirable drive to accomplish difficult goals.
Modern Usage
A strong desire and determination to achieve something, particularly success, advancement, mastery, influence, or a significant personal goal.
Narrative
Ambition once meant walking around asking people for their votes. In ancient Rome, a person seeking public office would ambire—“go around”—canvassing citizens for support. Eventually, the word stopped describing the candidate’s movement and started describing what drove the candidate to move in the first place. That transformation left us with “ambition.” Today it can describe the entrepreneur building a company, the athlete chasing a championship, or anyone determined to become more than they are today. Hidden inside this word for reaching higher is an ancient image of someone literally walking from person to person asking for the opportunity to rise.