Where does “prewhiten” come from?

prewhiten (English) comes from English pre, from Latin prae, from Proto-Italic prai, from Proto-Indo-European preh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European per-, from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós — passed , crossed.

prewhiten (English): To modify to make the samples statistically...

Definitions

  1. To modify to make the samples statistically...

Ancestry of “prewhiten”, step by step

prewhiten traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English pre

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpreBefore; Precum, Cowper's fluid, pre-ejaculate; To...
2Latinpraebefore; in front; in front of
3Proto-Italicpraibefore; in front of
4Proto-Indo-Europeanpreh₂-before, in front
5Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

via English whiten

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishwhitento become white or whiter; to bleach or blanch
2Middle Englishwhitenen
3Old Norsehvítnato whiten
4Proto-Germanichwītnōnąto whiten, become white
5Proto-Indo-Europeankwind-
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tósEvery word from Proto-Indo-European per-Every word from Proto-Indo-European preh₂-