progredior

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [proːˈɡrɛ.di.ɔr]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [proˈɡrɛː.di.or]^[1]

Forms

prōgredior (present infinitive prōgredī, perfect active prōgressus sum); third (-iō variant) conjugation, deponent^[1] Plautus has fourth-conjugation forms, imperative prōgredīminō and infinitive prōgredīrī.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is from Latin prō- + gradior (“to step, walk”).^[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨gradior⟩ to Proto-Italic ⟨*grad-(e)i-⟩, Proto-Indo-European *g(ʰ)r̥d(ʰ)-(e)i-, and explains the ⟨e⟩ of the compounds by vowel weakening.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are Plautus, of going forward.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to go forward, advance, properly on foot, as in Plautus and Cicero's regredī quam prōgredī mālle “to prefer going back to going forward”; figuratively to proceed to a point in one's actions, go so far; and, as in the Rhetorica ad Herennium, to develop, progress.^[2][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means to go further, advance.^[7] English progress (early 15th century) is from its noun prōgressus.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[2][5]
• 86/82 BC – The Rhetorica ad Herennium uses it of progress.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of proceeding.^[2][5]

Meanings

Verb

1. To go forward, advance.^[2][3]
2. To proceed, go so far.^[2]
3. To develop, progress.^[2]

Word family

• prōgressiō
• progressor
• prōgressus
• prōgressīvus

Related words

• aggredior
• antegredior
• congredior
• dēgredior
• dīgredior
• ēgredior
• gradior
• ingredior
• regredior
• retrōgradior
• English progress

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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 c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com