Drunken is from Old English 'druncen', the past participle of 'drincan' ('to drink'), used adjectivally. The ancestry passes through Old English druncen and Old English drincan. In present use as an adjective, it means "intoxicated by or relating to alcohol", keeping the historical formation close to the word's ordinary semantic work. Related words include drunk, drink, and drunkard; derived forms include drunkenly and drunkenness. Its contrast set includes sober and temperate, which clarifies the semantic boundary of the modern word.