Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “postilion” come from?

Postilion comes from Middle French postillon, from Italian postiglione, a rider who guides post horses.

postilion (English): A rider mounted on the near leading horse who...

Definitions

  1. A rider mounted on the near leading horse who...

Ancestry of “postilion”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchpostillonpostman; postilion; a French-style hat worn by...
2Italianpostiglionepostillion
3Italianpostamail, post; post office; stakes
4Latinprobāre—
5Latinprobō—
6LatinProbus—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-bhwo-being in front, prominent
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-toward, forward
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpor-to give birth; forward, through; going, passage
10Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
11Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →