Where does “preface” come from?
Preface comes from Middle English prefas, from Old French preface, from Latin prefatia, from Latin praefatio meaning "something said beforehand," derived from prae meaning "before" and fari meaning "to speak."
preface (English): The beginning or introductory portion that comes...
Definitions
- The beginning or introductory portion that comes...
Ancestry of “preface”, step by step
preface traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English prefas
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | prefas | — |
| 2 | Old French | preface | — |
| 3 | Medieval Latin | prefatia | — |
| 4 | Latin | praefātiō | preface, prologue |
| 5 | Latin | praefor | I say, utter, mention beforehand or in advance; I... |
| 6 | Latin | prae- | before; in front; in charge |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | prai- | pre-, before |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | preh₂- | before, in front |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |
via Middle English preface
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | preface | — |