Where does “prevalent” come from?
Prevalent comes from Middle English pre- and Latin prae- meaning "before," derived from Proto-Italic prai, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European preh₂- and per-.
prevalent (English): Widespread or preferred; Superior in frequency or...
Definitions
- Widespread or preferred; Superior in frequency or...
Ancestry of “prevalent”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | praevalens | dominant; superior |
| 2 | Latin | praevaleō | to be very able or more able; to be superior, prevail |
| 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 |