Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “presidio” come from?

Presidio comes from Spanish presidio, from Latin praesidium meaning garrison or protection, ultimately from Latin praesideo meaning to sit before, combining prae- with the Proto-Indo-European root sed- meaning to sit.

presidio (English): A garrisoned place, especially one that is or was...

Definitions

  1. A garrisoned place, especially one that is or was...

Ancestry of “presidio”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Spanishpresidioprison; imprisonment; garrison
2Latinpraesidiumdefence, protection, help, aid, assistance;...
3Latinpraesessitting before; protector, guard, guardian,...
4LatinpraesideoI sit before or in front of; I sit beforehand; I...
5Latinprae-before; in front; in charge
6Proto-Italicprai-—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpreh₂-before, in front
8Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →