Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “pro-life” come from?

pro-life (English) comes from English life, from Middle English lyf, from Old English līf, from Proto-West Germanic līb, from Proto-Germanic lībą, from Proto-Germanic lībaną, from Proto-Indo-European leyp-, from Proto-Indo-European lēy- — to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...

pro-life (English): Of, pertaining to, or supportive of the right to...

Definitions

  1. Of, pertaining to, or supportive of the right to...

Ancestry of “pro-life”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlifeThe state of organisms preceding their death,...
2Middle Englishlyflife
3Old Englishlīflife, existence; life-time
4Proto-West Germaniclībbody; life
5Proto-Germaniclībąbody; life
6Proto-Germaniclībanąto remain, to be left
7Proto-Indo-Europeanleyp-to stick; fat or sticky substance
8Proto-Indo-Europeanlēy-to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...

Words derived from “pro-life”

  • pro-lifeism
  • pro-lifer
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lēy- →