Where does “prepayment” come from?
Prepayment derives from English payment combined with the prefix pre-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European preh₂-, meaning to grasp or seize, and per-, meaning to lead forward.
prepayment (English): A payment in advance; An asset recognized in...
Definitions
- A payment in advance; An asset recognized in...
Ancestry of “prepayment”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | pre- | Before; physically in front of; anterior;... |
| 2 | Middle English | pre- | — |
| 3 | Latin | prae- | before; in front; in charge |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | prai- | pre-, before |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | preh₂- | before, in front |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |