presidential English · revision 4688

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1603|origins=la-med praesidentialis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˌprez.ɪˈden.ʃəl/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la-med|praesidentiālis]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from praesidentia “the office of a president, presidency”,^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from Latin [[m|la|praesidēns|t=presiding]], the present participle of praesidēre “to preside”.^(Etymonline) It is related to [[president]] and [[preside]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of or relating to a president or his office: 1603 in the OED,^(OED 1989) about 1600 in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Presiding, of the nature of a president, is from 1650.^(OED 1989) Befitting a president of the United States is by 1793.^(Etymonline) In British India it was used of the presidencies, the former provinces of Bengal, Madras and Bombay (1857).^(OED 1989) A ''presidential system'', with a president elected separately from the legislature, and ''presidential election'' are later uses.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1603 – of a president.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1650 – presiding.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1793 – befitting a United States president.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1857 – of the Indian presidencies.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of or relating to a [[president]] or the office of president: ''a presidential election''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Fitting for a president, especially the President of the United States.^(AHD)

+ # Of a political system in which the head of government is a president elected separately from the [[legislature]].^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[presidentially]]

+ * [[prepresidential]]

+ * [[unpresidential]]

+ * [[nonpresidential]]

+ * [[postpresidential]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[president]]

+ * [[preside]]

+ * [[presidency]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In British English the stress can shift before a noun, as in ''presidential suite''.^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}