Etymologically

Etymology and origin of the Latin word prodeo

Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
c. 250–184 BC, Plautus
Ultimate origins
Latin (prō-)Proto-Indo-European (*h₁ey-)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin eo
French je
Latin comes
French comte
Latin subeo
French subir
Latin praetereo
Latin nequeo
Latin prodeo
Latin redeo
Latin reditus
Latin reditio
Latin pereo
Latin obeo
Latin adeo
Latin aditus
Latin intereo

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈproː.de.oː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈprɔː.de.o][1]

Forms

prōdeō (present infinitive prōdīre, perfect active prōdiī or prōdīvī, supine prōditum); irregular conjugation, impersonal in the passive[1] Ennius has the lengthened present prōdīnunt for prōdeunt.[2][3] Lactantius has the future prōdient.[3]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin prō- (“forward”) + eō (“to go”), with a linking ⟨-d-⟩ as in redeō.[2][1] De Vaan traces eō to Proto-Indo-European *h₁ey- (“to go”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus, Menaechmi: nōs prōdīmus ad forum, “we're going on to the forum”.[2]

Semantic evolution

It is to go or come forward, and especially to come out of a house, or to come to the door (Plautus).[2] Things too come forth, as Varro's produce comes out for use at its last stage, and time goes forward, as in Petronius' prōdeuntibus annīs, “as the years advance”.[2] Figuratively a habit or process advances (Cicero).[2] With in cōnspectum or in pūblicum it is to appear in public, as Plautus' nōn tē pudet prōdīre in cōnspectum meum?, “aren't you ashamed to come into my sight?”, and with a predicate to appear in a certain dress (Cicero: that we may appear in military cloaks).[2] It also means to go out for a purpose, as to a funeral (Terence).[2]

Church Latin glosses it “come or go forth, come out”.[5]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of going to the forum and coming out of doors.[2][6]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence of going out to a funeral.[2][6]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of a habit spreading.[2][6]
  • before 66 AD – Petronius: prōdeuntibus annīs.[2][6]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To go or come forward, advance, proceed.[2][1][5]
  2. To come out (of a house); (of things) to emerge.[2][1]
  3. To appear (in public).[2][1]
  4. To go out (for a purpose).[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g 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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
Cite this entry

“Prodeo.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/prodeo. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·