Where does “foolproof” come from?
Foolproof combines fool, from Middle English fole, Old French fol, and Latin follis, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰel-, with proof, denoting something designed to be safe against human error.
foolproof (English): For a device: protected, or designed to be proof...
Definitions
- For a device: protected, or designed to be proof...
Ancestry of “foolproof”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | -proof | Used to form adjectives denoting an impervious or... |
| 2 | English | proof | An effort, process, or operation designed to... |
| 3 | Middle English | proof | — |
| 4 | Old French | prove | — |
| 5 | Latin | proba | test, trial; proof, evidence |
| 6 | Latin | probāre | — |
| 7 | Latin | probō | to approve, permit, commend |
| 8 | Latin | Probus | good, serviceable, excellent, superior, able |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pro-bhwo- | being in front, prominent |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |