Etymologically
Log in

probus

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 00:37. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈprɔ.bʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈprɔː.bus][1]

Forms

probus (feminine proba, neuter probum, comparative probior, superlative probissimus, adverb probē); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *pro-f(w)-o- (“favourable”), from Proto-Indo-European *pro-bʰ(h₂)u-o- (“being in front”), a compound of Proto-Indo-European *pro- (“forward”) and Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to be”).[2][1] The Sabellic forms prove a Proto-Italic *profo-, and the /w/ was later lost after the labial.[2] Cognate with Paelignian pros (“righteous”), Umbrian prufe (“correctly”), Oscan amprufid (“improperly”) and Sanskrit प्रभु (prabhú, “excellent, foremost”).[2][3][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Naevius uses it.[2] Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it was excellent in quality, good, as Plautus' fine conger eel and Cicero's good ship, and of money genuine.[5][6] It was well made, able or clever, as Plautus' “what a fine general!”, and of character upright and honest.[5] Döderlein ranks it with bonus and frūgī among words for a modest degree of virtue.[7]

In medieval Latin probī hominēs were men qualified to act as witnesses or assessors.[8] Through probitās it gave English probity, and its verb probō gave prove.[9] It is also a cognomen, as the grammarian Marcus Valerius Probus.[5]

Timeline

  • c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.[2][4]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus praises a conger eel with it.[5][4]
  • c. 1200 – English prove is recorded, from probāre.[9]
  • early 15th century – English probity is recorded.[9]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Good, excellent (in quality); genuine.[5][10]
  2. Well made, sound.[5]
  3. Able, clever.[5][1]
  4. Upright, honest, virtuous.[5][1]
  5. (Medieval Latin) Probī hominēs, men qualified as witnesses or assessors.[8]

Word family

  • approbus
  • improbus
  • probitās
  • reprobus
  • probē
  • probiter
  • probābilis
  • probābiliter
  • probātiō
  • probātor
  • probātus
  • probō
  • bonus
  • English probity
  • English prove

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  9. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  10. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press