Etymologically
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prosperity

Etymology and origin of the English word prosperity

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
c. 1200
Borrowed from
Old French prosperité via Middle English
Ultimate origin
Latin (prosperus)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: UK /prɒˈsper.ə.ti/, US /prɑːˈsper.ə.t̬i/[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English prosperite, borrowed from Old French prosperité and directly Latin prosperitās (“good fortune”),[2][3][4] from prosperus (“favourable, doing well”) (see prosper).[2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

A flourishing condition, good fortune, wealth: about 1200 in Etymonline, before 1225 in the OED.[2][5]

Semantic evolution

Prosperities, prosperous circumstances, are recorded from 1340.[5]

Timeline

  • c. 1200 – prosperity.[2]
  • 1340 – prosperities.[5]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. The condition of being prosperous; success or wealth.
  • prosper
  • prosperous

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Prosperity.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/prosperity. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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