Where does “prevailing” come from?
Prevailing comes from Middle English prevailen, from Old French prevaler, from Latin praevaleo, combining prae (before) and valeo (to be strong), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European per- (forward, through).
prevailing (English): Predominant; of greatest force; Prevalent,...
Definitions
- Predominant; of greatest force; Prevalent,...
Ancestry of “prevailing”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | prevail | To be superior in strength, dominance, influence... |
| 2 | Middle English | prevailen | — |
| 3 | Old French | prevaler | — |
| 4 | Latin | praevaleō | to be very able or more able; to be superior, prevail |
| 5 | Latin | prae- | before; in front; in charge |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | prai- | pre-, before |
| 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 |