prae-

Forms

prae- ^[1] Medieval Latin often wrote it pre-.^[2][1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *prai-, the prefix form of the preposition and adverb prae (“before, in front of”).^[1][3] De Vaan traces the preposition to Proto-Italic *prai and Proto-Indo-European *preh₂i (“before”), perhaps an old locative singular.^[4] The same prefix appears as Oscan prae- and Umbrian pre-;^[4] beyond Italic, de Vaan compares Greek παραί (paraí), παρά (pará, “beside, by”).^[4]

Semantic evolution

In Latin it was used with verbs and verbal derivatives for a position in front, ahead or at the end, and for precedence in time; with adjectives it marked a quality in a very high degree.^[3] It also gave words of being in charge, as praesideō and praeficiō.^[1] In Medieval Latin it was reduced to pre-, the source, partly through Old French, of the English prefix pre-.^[2]

Meanings

Prefix

1. In front, ahead, before (in place): praebeō, praecēdō; also at the tip or end: praeūrō.^[3][1]
2. Before (in time), in advance, fore-: praecipiō, praedīcō, praecox.^[3][1]
3. In charge, at the head: praesideō, praeficiō.^[1]
4. (with adjectives) Very, exceedingly, pre-eminently: praealtus, praelongus.^[3][1]

Word family

• praebeō
• praecēdō
• praecipiō
• praecox
• praealtus
• praelongus
• praesideō
• praeficiō
• praeferō
• praepōnō
• praesum
• praeclārus
• praevideō

Related words

• prae
• praeter
• English pre-

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill