Where does “previously” come from?
Previously derives from English previous, from Latin praevius meaning "going before," from Latin via meaning "way" and Proto-Indo-European preh₂-, per-, and ḱóm.
previously (English): First; beforehand, in advance; At an earlier time
Definitions
- First; beforehand, in advance; At an earlier time
Ancestry of “previously”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | previous | Prior; occurring before something else, either in... |
| 2 | Latin | praevius | going before, leading the way |
| 3 | Latin | prae | before; in front; in front of |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | prai | — |
| 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 |