Etymologically
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prosperus

Etymology and origin of the Latin word prosperus

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Confidence
Probable
Formation
Compound
First attested
Naevius
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*speh₁-)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈprɔs.pɛ.rʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈprɔs.pe.rus][1]

Forms

prosperus (feminine prospera, neuter prosperum, superlative prosperrimus); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is prō combined with Proto-Italic *sparo-, from Proto-Indo-European *sph₁-ro- (“thriving”), or a derivative of a compound verb *pro-speh₁- “to thrive”.[2] The root *speh₁- “to prosper” is also in spēs “hope”.[1][2] Cognate with Sanskrit स्फिर (sphirá, “fat”) and Old Church Slavonic спѣти (spěti, “to succeed”).[2][3] The OLD calls it doubtful, and thinks the link with an adverbial phrase “according to hope” may be a popular etymology.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler date it from Naevius, who speaks of “taking a favourable auspice”.[2][5][4] Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It was said of what turns out as one wishes, prosperous or successful, of omens and signs that promise success, and of favourable conditions or news.[4] Cicero contrasts prospera and adversa fortūna, good and bad fortune.[6] A variant nominative prosper is also found.[6]

Its derivative prosperō “to make successful” gave English prosper in the mid-14th century, and the adjective was continued in English prosperous from the early 15th century.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 235–200 BC – Naevius speaks of a favourable auspice.[4][5]
  • mid-14th century – English prosper is recorded.[7]
  • early 15th century – English prosperous is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Prosperous, successful.[4]
  2. (of omens) Favourable, propitious.[4]
  3. (of conditions) Favourable.[4]

Word family

  • improsper
  • prosperitās
  • prosperō
  • spēs
  • English prosper
  • English prosperous

Usage notes

Döderlein groups prosperus with faustus as making happy: prosperus when hopes and wishes are fulfilled, faustus as an effect of divine favour.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d 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 d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  8. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
Cite this entry

“Prosperus.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/prosperus. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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