Where does “prestidigitator” come from?
prestidigitator (English) comes from French prestidigitateur, from French preste, from Italian presto, from Italian prestare, from Latin praesto, from Latin prae-, from Proto-Italic prai-, from Proto-Indo-European preh₂- — passed , crossed.
prestidigitator (English): One who performs feats of prestidigitation; a...
Definitions
- One who performs feats of prestidigitation; a...
Ancestry of “prestidigitator”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | prestidigitateur | conjurer, magician |
| 2 | French | preste | agile, quick |
| 3 | Italian | presto | ready; fast, quick, nimble; soon |
| 4 | Italian | prestare | to lend; to pay, to give |
| 5 | Latin | praesto | present, at hand, ready; at hand, ready to help;... |
| 6 | Latin | prae- | before; in front; in charge |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | prai- | pre-, before |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | preh₂- | before, in front |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |