Where does “precisely” come from?
Precisely derives from Middle French précis, from Latin praecisus meaning "cut short," from praecido meaning "to cut before," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning "to cut" and "together" and "forward."
precisely (English): In a precise manner; exactly
Definitions
- In a precise manner; exactly
Ancestry of “precisely”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | precise | exact, accurate; consistent, clustered close... |
| 2 | Middle French | précis | — |
| 3 | Latin | praecīsus | shortened, severed |
| 4 | Latin | praecīdō | to cut off in front or through; shorten; sever, separate |
| 5 | Latin | prae | before; in front; in front of |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | prai | before; in front of |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | preh₂- | before, in front |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |