Where does “prelude” come from?
prelude (Dutch) comes from Middle French prélude, from Latin praeludium, from Latin praeludo, from Latin prae-, from Proto-Italic prai-, from Proto-Indo-European preh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European per-, from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós — passed , crossed.
Ancestry of “prelude”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | prélude | singing to test a musical instrument |
| 2 | Latin | praeludium | A prologue, prelude |
| 3 | Latin | praeludo | I play beforehand; I preface |
| 4 | Latin | prae- | before; in front; in charge |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | prai- | pre-, before |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | preh₂- | before, in front |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |