Where does “presidential” come from?
Presidential derives from English president, from Latin praesidens meaning "one presiding," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European preh₂- and sed- meaning "to sit."
presidential (English): Pertaining to a president or presidency;...
Definitions
- Pertaining to a president or presidency;...
Ancestry of “presidential”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | President | An honorific for the head of state of a republic;... |
| 2 | Latin | praesideo | I sit before or in front of; I sit beforehand; I... |
| 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 |