Where does “prepopulate” come from?

prepopulate (English) comes from English pre, from Latin prae, from Proto-Italic prai, from Proto-Indo-European preh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European per-, from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós — passed , crossed.

prepopulate (English): To populate in advance

Definitions

  1. To populate in advance

Ancestry of “prepopulate”, step by step

prepopulate traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English pre

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpreBefore; Precum, Cowper's fluid, pre-ejaculate; To...
2Latinpraebefore; in front; in front of
3Proto-Italicpraibefore; in front of
4Proto-Indo-Europeanpreh₂-before, in front
5Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

via English populate

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpopulateTo supply with inhabitants; to people; To live...
2Medieval Latinpopulatusravaged
3LatinpopulorI lay waste, ravage or devastate; I plunder or...
4Latinpōpulusa people, nation
5Proto-Italicpoplosarmy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós