Where does “Providence” come from?
Providence (English) comes from Middle English providence, from Middle French providence, from Latin prōvidentia, from Latin prōvidēns, from Latin prōvideō, from Latin prō-, from Proto-Italic *pro-, from Proto-Indo-European pro- — passed , crossed.
Providence (English): Divine care or direction, the will of God or the gods; the grace of God; fate or fortune
Definitions
- Divine care or direction, the will of God or the gods; the grace of God; fate or fortune
Ancestry of “Providence”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | providence | — |
| 2 | Middle French | providence | — |
| 3 | Latin | prōvidentia | The ability to see something in advance; foresight, foreknowledge |
| 4 | Latin | prōvidēns | foreseeing |
| 5 | Latin | prōvideō | to foresee |
| 6 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |