Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “precept” come from?

Precept comes from Late Latin praeceptum, from Latin praecipio, from Latin capio meaning to take, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European keh₂p-.

precept (English): A rule or principle, especially one governing...

Definitions

  1. A rule or principle, especially one governing...

Ancestry of “precept”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinpraeceptumteaching, lesson; precept; order, command
2Latinpraecipiō—
3Latinprae-before; in front; in charge
4Proto-Italicprai-—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanpreh₂-before, in front
6Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

Words derived from “precept”

  • preceptive
  • preceptial
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →