Where does “prime” come from?
Prime comes from French prime, derived from Latin primus meaning "first," which traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root per-.
prime (English): First in importance, degree, or rank; First in...
Definitions
- First in importance, degree, or rank; First in...
Ancestry of “prime”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | French | prime | reward; prize; bonus; premium |
| 2 | Old French | prim | — |
| 3 | Latin | prīmus | — |
| 4 | Latin | prīsmos | — |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | priisemos | foremost, first |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |