Etymologically
Log in

preux

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 17 October 2026 at 17:47. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /pʁø/[1]

Forms

preux (feminine preuse, masculine plural preux, feminine plural preuses)[1] Old French proz, pros, pruz, preuz (nominative), prou, preu (oblique); preux from about 1382.[2][3][4][5]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French proz, inherited from Late Latin *prōdis,[2][4][6][7] an adjective formed on Late Latin prōde (“useful, profitable”), attested from the 4th century in “prode est”, a wrong division of prōdest (“it is useful”), third person of Latin prōsum (“to be useful”), made on the model of “pote est” beside “potest”.[2][6][3][8] The neuter prōde also gave Old French preu (“profit”), surviving in prou.[2][6][1]

Compare Old Occitan pros and Italian prode.[2][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Chanson de Roland (about 1100) has the famous line “Rollant est proz e Oliver est sage”, Roland is brave and Oliver is wise.[9][5][10]

Semantic evolution

The original idea of usefulness underlies all its uses:[2] of things it meant good, of good quality,[2][5] and of people it specialised in the language of chivalry as “valiant”, synonymous with vaillant.[9][2] As a noun un preux is a hero of chivalry; the Neuf Preux, the Nine Worthies, appear about 1382.[9][4]

The word is now literary or archaic, used of medieval knights.[10][4] Derivatives are prouesse (about 1080) and the compound prud'homme “wise and loyal man”, later a member of an industrial tribunal (1806), whence prude.[6]

Timeline

  • 4th century – Late Latin prode est.[2][4]
  • c. 1080 – Prouesse.[6]
  • c. 1100 – Proz (Roland).[9][4]
  • c. 1175 – Preu (Chrétien de Troyes).[4]
  • c. 1382 – Preux; the Nine Worthies.[9][2]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (literary) Valiant, doughty: un preux chevalier.[10][1]

Noun

  1. A valiant knight of the Middle Ages: Charlemagne et ses preux.[10][4]

Word family

  • prouesse
  • prou
  • prude
  • prud'homme

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  6. ^ a b c d e f Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 9, 418b
  8. ^ Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
  9. ^ a b c d e Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  10. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert