Where does “prescribe” come from?
Prescribe derives from Latin praescribere, composed of prae and scribere, ultimately tracing through Proto-Indo-European per- and preh₂- to roots meaning to write and move forward.
prescribe (English): To order for use by a particular patient; To...
Definitions
- To order for use by a particular patient; To...
Ancestry of “prescribe”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | praescribo | I write in front; I prefix; I order, appoint,... |
| 2 | Latin | prae- | before; in front; in charge |
| 3 | Proto-Italic | prai- | pre-, before |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | preh₂- | before, in front |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |