Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “prelate” come from?

Prelate comes from Old French prelat, from Latin praelatus (past participle of praeferre, to set before or prefer), from Proto-Italic praiferō.

prelate (English): A clergyman of high rank and authority, having...

Definitions

  1. A clergyman of high rank and authority, having...

Ancestry of “prelate”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchprelatprelate
2Medieval Latinpraelatuscarried; offered, presented; preferred
3Latinpraeferrepresent active infinitive of praeferō; to prefer
4LatinpraeferoI bear, hold or carry before or forth; I carry...
5Proto-Italicpraiferō—

Words derived from “prelate”

  • prelatical
  • prelatist
  • prelatial
  • prelatess
  • unprelatical
  • archprelate
  • prelatically
  • prelatism
  • prelatry
  • prelatize
  • prelatish
  • prelateship
  • unprelated
Every word from Proto-Italic praiferō →