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praesens

Etymology and origin of the Latin word praesens

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Twelve Tables
Ultimate origin
Latin (sum)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin praesens
Latin praesentia
English presence

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈprae̯.sẽːs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈprɛː.s̬ens][1]

Forms

praesēns (genitive praesentis); third-declension one-termination participle[1]

Etymology

It is the present participle of praesum “to be in front, preside”, from prae- and sum “to be”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citation is the Twelve Tables, and Köbler dates them about 450 BC.[2][4]

Semantic evolution

It meant being in the same place, present, in person, face to face, as Cicero's praise of someone present, and as a noun a person on the spot.[2][3] Of gods it meant present to help, propitious, as in Horace; of the mind resolute, ready; and of remedies and actions effective, as in Virgil.[2] It also meant immediate, instant, of danger imminent, of money paid in cash, and ready to hand.[2] Of time it meant occurring here and now, current, and in grammar the present tense, as in Varro; the phrase in praesentī meant on the spot, now.[2]

In Medieval Latin it also meant “this”, and the neuter plural praesentia “the present letter”.[5] It survives in Italian and Spanish presente and French présent.[1] Through Old French it is the source of English present about 1300, and English presence comes from praesentia in the mid-14th century.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 450 BC – The Twelve Tables use it of being present.[2][4]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of ready cash.[2][4]
  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of the present tense.[2][4]
  • c. 1300 – English present is recorded.[6]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Present, in person, face to face.[2]
  2. (of gods) Present to help, propitious.[2]
  3. (of the mind) Resolute, ready.[2]
  4. Effective, efficacious.[2]
  5. Immediate, instant; imminent.[2]
  6. (of money) Paid in cash.[2]
  7. Current, of the present time, (grammar) present.[2]
  8. (Medieval Latin) This.[5]

Word family

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com

Derived terms

Cite this entry

“Praesens.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/praesens. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·