Etymologically
Log in

reprobo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word reprobo

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
Digest
Ultimate origin
Latin (probō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈrɛ.prɔ.boː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈrɛː.pro.bo][1]

Forms

reprobō (present infinitive reprobāre, perfect active reprobāvī, supine reprobātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from re- and probō “to approve”, a Late Latin formation for classical improbō.[2][1][3] De Vaan traces ⟨probus⟩ “good, upright” to Proto-Italic ⟨*profwo-⟩ “favourable”.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lewis & Short call it post-Augustan and note that it is not in Cicero, where the correct reading is improbō.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to reject, condemn, disapprove.[2][5]

Its participle reprobātus gave English reprobate in the early 15th century, “rejected as worthless”, and in the 1540s “one rejected by God”.[3] Through Old French reprover it gave English reprove about 1300, “to accuse, charge as a fault”.[3] It survives in Italian riprovare and Spanish reprobar.[1]

Timeline

  • c. 1300 – English reprove is recorded.[3]
  • early 15th century – English reprobate is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To reject, condemn, disapprove.[2][5]

Word family

  • reprobātiō
  • reprobatrix

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Reprobo.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/reprobo. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·