Where does “pray” come from?
Pray comes from Middle English preien, from Anglo-Norman preier, from Latin precari meaning to ask or entreat, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European per-.
pray (English): To direct words, thoughts, or one's attention to...
Definitions
- To direct words, thoughts, or one's attention to...
Ancestry of “pray”, step by step
pray traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English preien
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | preien | to pray |
| 2 | Anglo-Norman | preier | Alternative form of proiier |
| 3 | Old French | proiier | to pray; to pray; to beg; to implore; to beg |
| 4 | Latin | precor | I beseech, beg, pray, entreat; I wish well or ill... |
| 5 | Latin | prex | prayer; request; entreaty |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | preks | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | préḱs | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | preḱ- | to ask |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥ḱneh₂ | — |
via English I pray you
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | I pray you | — |