Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “prejudice” come from?

Prejudice derives from Old French prejudice, from Latin praeiudicium, combining Latin prae- (before) and iudicium (judgment), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European deyḱ- (to point or show).

prejudice (English): An adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand...

Definitions

  1. An adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand...

Ancestry of “prejudice”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchprejudiceharm; damage; prejudgment; prejudice
2Latinpraeiūdicium—
3Latiniūdicium—
4Latiniūdicō—
5Latiniūdex—
6Latiniūs—
7Latindīcō—
8Latin-tiō—
9Latindissertātiō—
10Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
11Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
12Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
13Latincalceusshoe
14Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
15Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “prejudice”

  • antiprejudice
  • postjudice
  • counterprejudice
  • prejudiceth
  • homoprejudice
  • heteroprejudice
  • transprejudice
  • disprejudice
  • biprejudice
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →