"P" Word Origins

prize

Old French

From Old French prise, "a taking or seizing," from prendre, "to take" — the same root gives us "surprise" and "comprise."

prizefighting

Origin

See prizefight. Originally Prize Playing, with play referring to sparring, a practice fight. By surface analysis, prize + fighting.

pro

Latin

From Latin pro, meaning "on behalf of" or "in favor of."

pro bono

Latin

Short for Latin pro bono publico, "for the public good".

pro rata

Latin

From Latin pro rata parte, "according to the calculated share".

pro rated

Latin

From prorate, formed from the Latin phrase pro rata "according to the rate".

pro-choice

Latin and English

From pro-, from Latin pro meaning 'in favour of', plus choice; formed as a movement label in parallel with pro-life.

proactive

Origin · 1933

Coined in 1933 by psychologists Paul Whiteley and Gerald Blankfort, later popularized in the 1946 book "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl, deliberately as the opposite of "reactive."

probabilistic

Origin

From probabil(ity) + -istic and probabil(ism) + -istic.

probability

Latin

From Latin probabilitas, "credibility" or "likelihood," from probabilis, "provable" or "credible."

probable

Latin

From Latin probabilis, "provable" or "credible," from probare, "to test or prove" — the same root behind "probe" and "prove."

probableness

Origin

Latin probabilis, From probable + -ness, in existence since the 1600s.

probably

Middle English

From Middle English probably, probabily, equivalent to probable + -ly.

probate

Latin

From Latin probatus, "tested" or "proven," from probare, "to test or examine" — the same root as "probe" and "prove."

probation

Latin

From Latin probatio, "a testing or proving," from probare, "to test or examine" — the same root as "probe" and "prove."

probationer

Origin

From probation + -er.

probative

Latin

From Latin probativus, "belonging to proof," from probare, "to test or prove."

probe

Latin

From Latin probare, "to test or examine" — a doublet of "prove."

Probert

Welsh

From Welsh ap + Roppert, meaning "son of Robert".

probie

Origin

A shortened, informal form of "probationary."

probiotic

English

From pro- meaning for or in favour of, and Greek biotikos, meaning pertaining to life; formed as a counterpart to antibiotic.

probity

Origin

From Middle French probité, from Latin probitās (“uprightness, honesty”), from probus (“good, excellent, honest”); see probe, prove.

problem

Greek

From Greek problema, "something thrown forward" or "an obstacle," from proballo, "to put forward" — the same idea as something being placed in your path.

problema

Ancient Greek

An unadapted borrowing from Ancient Greek problema, the same root that eventually gave English the word "problem."

problematic

Greek

From Greek problematikos, related to "problema" — the same root as "problem."

problematical

Origin

From Latin problēmaticus + -al. By surface analysis, problematic + -al.

problemo

Spanish

A humorous spelling of "problem" with an added -o, mimicking Spanish (the real Spanish word is actually "problema").

proboscis

Origin

From Latin proboscis, from Ancient Greek προβοσκίς (proboskís, “elephant's trunk”) literally "means for taking food," from προ- (pro-, “before”) + βόσκω (bóskō, “to nourish, feed”), from the Proto-Indo-European root *gʷeh₃- from which also comes βοτάνη (botánē, “grass, fodder”).

Probst

German

Borrowed from German Propst ("provost").

procedural

Origin

From procedure + the adjective-forming suffix -al.

procedure

Latin

From French procédure, ultimately from Latin procedere, "to go forward" — the same root as proceed.

proceed

Latin

From Old French proceder, from Latin prōcēdō, "to go forward" — from prō ("forth") + cēdō ("to go").

proceedable

Origin

From proceed + -able.

proceeding

Origin

From proceed + -ing.

process

Latin

From Old French procés, "journey, course," from Latin prōcessus, "advance, progress," from prōcēdō, "to go forward."

processed

Origin

From process + the past-tense suffix -ed.

processing

Origin

From process + -ing.

procession

Latin

From Latin prōcessiō, "a marching forward," later used for a religious procession, from prōcēdere, "to advance."

processor

Origin · 1909

From process + the agent suffix -or, recorded in this sense since around 1909.

processual

Origin

From process + -ual.

proclaim

Latin

From Latin prōclāmō, "to shout forth," from prō- ("forth") + clāmō ("to shout"); its spelling was later reshaped by the related word claim.

proclamation

Late Latin

From Old French proclamacion, from Late Latin proclāmātiō, from the verb prōclāmō, "to proclaim."

proclivity

Origin

From Latin prōclīvitās, from prōclīvis (“prone to”).

procott

Origin

Blend of pro- + boycott.

procrastinate

Latin

From Latin procrastinare "to put off until tomorrow", from pro- "forward" + cras "tomorrow".

procrastination

Latin

From Latin "procrastinare," to put off until tomorrow, from "pro-" (forward) plus "cras" (tomorrow).

procreate

Latin

From Latin prōcreō, "to beget," from prō- ("forth") + creō ("to create").

procreation

Latin

From Old French procreacion, from Latin prōcreātiō, from prōcreāre, "to bring forth."