- Confidence
- Established
- Formation
- Derivation
- First attested
- Ennius
- Ultimate origin
- Proto-Indo-European (*ǵenh₁-)
Pronunciation
Forms
prōgeniēs f (genitive prōgeniēī); fifth declension[1] Pacuvius has the archaic genitive prōgeniī.[2][3]
Etymology
It is from prōgignō “to beget” with the suffix -iēs, from prō- and the root of gignō, Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- (“to beget”).[4][2][1] The TLL compares Sanskrit प्रजा (prajā́, “offspring”).[5]
Earliest recorded meaning
The OLD's earliest citation is from Ennius, of offspring.[2] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.[6]
Semantic evolution
It meant offspring, progeny, the children of a person or animal, as in Ennius, and a race, stock or family, as in Pacuvius.[2] Lewis & Short give descent, lineage.[3]
British Medieval Latin used it for descendants and for a litter.[7] It survives in Italian and Spanish progenie, and through Old French progenie it gave English progeny in the early 14th century.[1][8]
Timeline
- 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of offspring.[2][6]
- 220–130 BC – Pacuvius uses it of a family.[2][6]
- early 14th century – English progeny is recorded.[8]
Meanings
Noun
Related words
- prōgignō
- prōgenitor
- gignō
- English progeny
References
- ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
- ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
- ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
- ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
- ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
- ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
- ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry
“Progenies.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/progenies. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.
Last edited on . ·