Where does “preserve” come from?
Preserve comes from Middle English preserven, from Old French preserver, from Latin preservare and praeservare, ultimately from Latin servare meaning "to guard," derived from Proto-Indo-European ser- and per-.
preserve (English): A sweet spread made of any of a variety of...
Definitions
- A sweet spread made of any of a variety of...
Ancestry of “preserve”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | preserven | To keep safe; protect from harm or loss |
| 2 | Old French | preserver | — |
| 3 | Latin | preservare | keep, preserve |
| 4 | Latin | praeservāre | — |
| 5 | Latin | prae | before; in front; in front of |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | prai | before; in front of |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | preh₂- | before, in front |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |