Where does “postfact” come from?
postfact (English) comes from English post, from Middle French poste, from Italian posta, from Latin probāre, from Latin probō, from Latin Probus, from Proto-Indo-European pro-bhwo-, from Proto-Indo-European pro- — passed , crossed.
postfact (English): after the fact; after something has happened
Definitions
- after the fact; after something has happened
Ancestry of “postfact”, step by step
postfact traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English post
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | post | A long dowel or plank protruding from the ground;... |
| 2 | Middle French | poste | — |
| 3 | Italian | posta | mail, post; post office; stakes |
| 4 | Latin | probāre | — |
| 5 | Latin | probō | to approve, permit, commend |
| 6 | Latin | Probus | good, serviceable, excellent, superior, able |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pro-bhwo- | being in front, prominent |
| 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 |
via English fact
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | fact | Something actual as opposed to invented;... |
| 2 | English | factness | The quality of being based on facts; The quality... |
| 3 | English | -ness | Appended to adjectives to form nouns meaning "the... |
| 4 | Middle English | -nesse | Affixed to adjectives to form abstract nouns... |
| 5 | Old English | -nes | Used to form abstract nouns, usually from... |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | -nassī | Used to form abstract nouns, usually from... |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | -inassuz | -ness |
| 8 | Proto-West Germanic | -ī | -ness, -th |
| 9 | Proto-Germanic | -į̄ | -th |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | -íh₂ | — |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | -h₂ | Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups... |